


Between Two Fires

by MoonStarDutchess



Category: Slayers (Anime & Manga)
Genre: Complete, F/M, Xelfi
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-03-30
Updated: 2013-04-06
Packaged: 2017-12-07 00:42:29
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 14
Words: 32,310
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/742100
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonStarDutchess/pseuds/MoonStarDutchess
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It'd been two years since they last saw each other and Xellos is greeted with tea, Filia's blood stained mace, a wrecked house, his favorite dragon missing, and contradictory feelings.  Xellos/Filia</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue: Shattered Pot and Spilled Tea

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Rinoaebastel](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Rinoaebastel/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Between Two Fires: Comic Version](https://archiveofourown.org/external_works/19385) by Rinoaebastel. 



> Note and Disclaimer: I wrote this fanfiction adaptation with permission from Rinoaebastel/Rinoax. I am not in any way plagiarizing. We claim no ownership of Slayers and are just fans but we do own the ideas in this. Someone once stole some of our work so I have to post that.

She stared down at her favorite teapot, one that took a lot of cursing, four visits from Xellos, three maces to his face, and five efforts to fire, before she got it formed just the way she wanted it. Painting it took another six visits from Xellos and curse words she didn't think she had the ability to speak due to her oh so proper upbringing at the temple. Xellos drew many things out of her, every one of them negative just as he wished. When she'd let out a melodic string of curses in his direction, he had the most pleasant look on his face, like she had when taking a huge sip of the rare tea blend she got but once a year.

She removed a tin of tea from her cupboard, opened it, and scooped some into the pot, careful not to spill any since it was expensive. She'd bought it especially from a shop at the center of the town. Normally she would've settled for the simple teas she could brew from the herbs, roots, and spices in her garden but this was her favorite. She dropped the scooper back into the canister and slammed the lid shut, ignoring the already boiling water in the cauldron. No, it wasn't her favorite . . . her favorite was—

_Don't be silly. Of course it's your_ _favorite. You wouldn't have bought it otherwise. Not at its price._

Another voice in her head decided to pipe up its opinion. _It's not your favorite. You know whose favorite it is. Don't deny it._

"I do not," she said aloud as she stalked over to the cauldron. She took a ladle, scooped out the water and added it to the teapot. "Besides, even if it were his favorite, it's not like he's been around to drink it."

_And you're bitter over that. It's been a long time since he visited you after all. Maybe he got sick of you._

"I wouldn't fix it just because he likes it anyway!" She slammed the ladle down on the counter. "I don't care if he ever comes back," she muttered and forced herself to put the teapot lid on gently, otherwise, she'd have to fire another one like it and she didn't think she had the patience. When she heard a small crack, her ears twitched and she slowly turned to where she'd slammed the ladle. Her tail shot out and the point of her hat darted into a sharp point when the counter went from handy kitchen space to a pile of rubble.

_No Filia, you aren't the least bit angry or bitter at all are you?_

Filia jerked off her hat and stomped it several times until there was no use attempting to pick it up and clean it. "Gahhh No!" Her teeth clinched, her eyes narrowed, her hands formed into tight fists so she wouldn't grab something and throw it, and she snorted the way a bull would upon seeing a red cloth. If she didn't know better, she'd think she had little puffs of white air coming from her nostrils.

She relaxed as she saw a large shadow loom over her and the rubble heap. She straightened and jerked around, removing her mace from under her dress as she did so, having plenty of practice in the movement since Xellos was always sneaking up behind her like this.

But this wasn't Xellos. It was worse. There was a time she'd be happy to see a man like this but in the two years since the incident with Valgarv, she was perfectly content not seeing anything other than humans and a few other beings when they dropped by. "What are you doing in my home? How dare you come in here as if you own the place?"

"You're coming with us." His tone spoke as if he'd have no trouble taking her. He didn't know what kind of dragoness he was dealing with. She leaped back as he darted forward, twisting out of his way and swinging her mace at his head, he ducked and she moved around a table, keeping the furniture between them. "Behave yourself."

_Screw you and the wind you flew in on._ She grit her teeth. There was her inner Xellos coming out. Though he didn't curse much, when she heard him, it was enough to make her ears turn red. It'd rubbed off only she'd used the words far more than she wanted. She needed to learn to watch the potty mouth she'd developed.

An arm latched around her neck and she cursed at letting her thoughts run off the way they had. "You let yourself get distracted, so much for being a formidable opponent," he said. Her mind scrambled for something to do and she decided to go the typical female in distress route; she clamped her teeth down on his arm as hard as she could, and felt blood drift into her mouth. She pulled away, swung to the right, and slammed her mace against his head, sending him flying into what was left of her counter top.

She spit out the blood and looked over her shoulder at the door when she heard more footsteps entering her home. She rushed into her living room where she'd have more room to fight them. Her mind went to where she'd put Val and realized he would be safe. The intruders lumbered into the house, four of them. She knew she couldn't take on so many but she was going to try her best to protect what was hers. If she died, fine, but she didn't want anything happening to her son. Since the intruder said he wanted to take her, then maybe if they killed her, they would leave. She knew Jillas and Gravos would make sure Val was okay when they got back and saw she was gone. Even Xellos was better than these ignoramus brutes.

As they surrounded her like a pack of coyotes, she readied herself for a fight, willing to take as many of them with her as possible. There was no way she would let them take her alive if she could prevent it.


	2. Happiness is a Pissed Off Xellos

Xellos twitched his nose when a couple snowflakes landed upon it. When they melted, he took his hand and ran it over his nose to get rid of the moisture only to find more replace it. His purple hair was dotted with the little ice particles as if trying to decorate him. The land was covered in snow, several inches of it, deep enough if he didn't have the fabric bind between his pants and shoes, it would find a way to sneak itself inside and attempt to make his feet uncomfortable. He tended to avoid this type of weather but not for the cold or moisture but because…

His eyebrow twitched and nearly fell over when he heard children giggling beyond the hillside.

Because of that.

Winter weather with plenty of snow brought out happy children with oh so happy thoughts. It was disgusting. He envisioned a huge ball of snow rolling over all the children, a giant ball of snow with a hulking rock concealed within the icy cover.

He regretted not just popping in her house as kids ran by yelling, "Hi mister", and "happy holidays" while laughing. _I'd better get inside before I throw up._ He didn't think he had the capability to throw up but one never knew what a demon was capable of when too much happiness was involved.

He was about to transport to her house but then thought of the nice spark of anger, an extra one that came out when he walked there and showed up at her door like a normal guest. He could be a great deal away and she'd still sense him, then his aura would be like a slowly building dread until he arrived. He heard her describe it to Jillas like "being about to die". How pleasant.

He relaxed when he no longer heard the giggles—though the concealed rock in the snowball idea was still lingering in his mind— and saw Filia's house in the distance. His excitement sped up at the soon to consume taste of her rage. In the time he'd been conveniently popping in on her, she'd happen to have extra tea, and he'd grown fond of those tiny dragon shaped cookies she sat out with it. He would deliberately bite the head off one of them and make fun of them to get her cheeks flushed with anger. Then to get her to take a few swings at him with her mace, he'd always mention Lina finally having her dragon cuisine.

The view of her grabbing her weapon wasn't so bad either, he did appreciate a good leg when he saw one; but of course, he wouldn't admit it to her.

It'd been two years since he'd actually been able to drop by to see her and he actually missed those outbursts (yet another thing he'd never admit to her). If he felt the need to give an excuse, not that she'd ask for one, he certainly had an excellent one.

"My dear, Filia," he'd say. "I don't know how you could expect me to come to tea and hold a teacup when I possessed no limbs of which to hold my hands." He grinned. "Unless you wanted my head and torso there and lots of demon blood leaking all over your immaculate kitchen.

His grin widened and eyes opened into their typical narrow slits. He was going to give her that excuse whether she wanted one or not. It was just too good a chance to send her into a rage; maybe it would make her turn into a dragon and cause her entire house to explode.  
He shook the snow off his head and his hair fluffed out like a lion's mane. He used his powers to turn it back to his normal style before he checked her aura in the house to see what her mood was and to ascertain how to ruin it.

He stiffened and furrowed his eyebrows when he felt nothing coming from her living room or kitchen. He searched out her aura in other rooms and her shop. She wasn't there.

When he placed his hand on the doorknob, it cracked and fell to the ground. He kicked open the door and stalked inside to an area that looked more like a junkyard than the tidy home he knew almost as well as his place in the demon realm. He stepped further inside and saw nothing had escaped the torture of whatever occurred there. But did she? He walked around all the rubble and smelled a mix of her blood and another familiar scene he couldn't place.

He walked over to a wall and saw her mace embedded there, thick blood coating its spikes—not Filia's blood—and the place she gripped it that did have her blood on it. He followed the other scent into the kitchen and saw its destruction was just as worse as the living room. He walked over to what was left of the counter and saw her favorite teapot, shattered and coated with . . . his favorite tea. That was the other smell.

He pushed back his reasoning for why she fixed it when he hadn't been there for two years and didn't care much for the tea at all. He remembered her face cringing every time she took a tiny sip but refused to admit such weakness when he teased her about it. Something he couldn't do right now. His eyes opened wide and flashed with anger. He slammed his hand onto the shards. "Who in the hell touched my dragon!" He slammed his hand down again. The shards from the teapot shot in various directions and plunged into the wall like knives.

His muscles tensed and he had to push down the urge to destroy everything around him. Only his common sense coming to the forefront prevented him from doing so.

_Destroying this place will be of no good. If you do, you can't find clues to find her._

"They'll pay," Xellos said into the empty room as if conveying it into the cosmos in hopes the perpetrators would hear him. "Whoever did this will burn in the pits of hell and I'm not talking about the fun pits."

He stormed back into the living room, his cape billowing behind him as if afraid of being too close to the raging demon. He'd have to look for some sort of—his sense perked as he felt a familiar aura flashing in his mind.

He twisted around the corner and made his way up the stairs. He walked into her bedroom, imagining for a moment how angry she'd be that he infiltrated her private area, and over to a small wardrobe. He opened the two doors and saw the egg nestled among baby pink blankets and a dark pink velvet pillow.

_Note to self: give her something not pink._

"Your mother hid you well you ugly thing. Either that or the ignoramus that took her didn't give a shit about you." He sighed and picked it up. "You're going to have to come with me until I find her."

He thought he felt the egg throb slightly in his grasp.

"Now now, I know your mother won't like it but she wouldn't like it if I left you here either. You don't know yet but your mother just can't be pleased in any way. She quite the queen bitch most of the time. She rivals Zelas for the title." Zelas wouldn't like having a rival for the title of the biggest bitch and Filia wouldn't be thrilled at being a contender.

He looked out the window. You had better not die you stupid dragon. I refuse to take care of this stupid helminth for very long.

He lowered his hand. Why in the hell was he worried about the dragon and this stupid egg anyway? It wasn't his problem and he had better things to do. No matter how much he told himself that, the nagging feeling of responsibility for them wouldn't leave. He'd even been tense over not being able to drop in on her for so long.

" _ **Xellos! Get your ass here now."**_

His eyes widened. _Damn. She knows._

" _ **Damn right I do!"**_

When Xellos appeared before Beastmaster, he was already kneeling with his staff resting at his side and his head bowed. "You called Beastmaster?"He realized how dumb it was to say that after such a harsh summoning.

He heard her footsteps as she walked around him several times; as if preparing to strike him down like any prey she came across. She grabbed a handful of his hair and yanked, moving him into an upright position. Leaning over, she moved her face in front of his.

"Open your eyes."

Xellos did as she instructed and looked into the most fearsome gaze he knew. "You're my priest. My highest ranking demon."

"Yes, Beastmaster."

"That wasn't a question!" She growled and let go of his head. She stalked up to her throne, which was more like a large pile of pillows, but didn't sit down. She took a long draw off her cigarette before continuing. "You're the demon who undertakes the bloodiest missions, you kill without regret, and you practically wiped out the golden dragons."

She jerked around, her eyes open and cracking like fire. "So tell me what in wolf's name unhinged you back in that filthy dragon's home!"

Xellos swallowed the saliva in his mouth. It was only once every few thousand years that his master used that tone and her eyes threatened to turn him into a demon candle. "Someone attacked her. Not long ago because the blood in her home smelled fresh."

"And why do you care?"

"I…I'm not sure Beastmaster."

She pursed her lips and moved her cigarette holder up and down with her tongue. Her left eyebrow arched and the glow in her eyes powered down to just a small ember. Xellos had never seen such an expression upon her face and a rare tinge of fear rushed through him. "And what about the glowing ball of dragon shit?"

"I'm reasoning they weren't looking for it because if they'd put in the slightest bit of effort they would've found it."

"Your interest has been focused on the golden dragon for quite a while. All during your recent missions." She moved to sit atop a red silk pillow and flicked the ashes from her cigarette into a tray beside her. "Perhaps it's best she be disposed of."

An unfamiliar feeling flickered in his stomach and his mind clawed desperately for something to say. The foreign emotions going on inside him were getting on his nerves worse than that slurping sound Goury made when eating noodles. "My interest only goes as far as her usefulness in the future like she was with Darkstar."

"Oh really . . . and why is that?"

"Well, we might need her power again."

A small smile flickered on Zelas' face. "Perhaps."

"Beastmaster, will you let me take action to discover who took her and retrieve her if found?"

She sat back and lit another cigarette before placing it into her holder. She licked her lips and placed it in her mouth. _"_ Stop blowing hot air up my ass. You have no missions so go find your little plaything. I don't care what in the hell you do on your own time as long as you don't waste mine!"

Xellos stood, relieved that she hadn't saw fit to destroy him. He turned to go but stopped when he heard her voice speak his name. He turned back around.

"Bring me back something deliciously bloody. It's been a while since we've had a good piece of corpse."

"Yes Beastmaster."

Xellos transported to his room, secured the egg in a safe place, and left to begin his hunt for Filia.


	3. Anger is a Pissed Off Filia

Every time she breathed, she felt like she was sucking in glass. She knew she had a few broken ribs and her hand ached and bled like a faucet turned all the way on. The mold from the leaky dungeon was stronger thanks to her dragon sense of smell. She half wondered if they deliberately grew it here to further torture their prisoners with an odd taste of rotten mushrooms.

Her legs struggled to keep up with the pace of the dragon that had a firm hold of her wrist. If she'd been at her full strength, she might've been able to pull away, but as it stood now, she was at their mercy. But that didn't mean she couldn't give them trouble. Verbally at least. She' would just channel her inner Xellos. He was the perfect example of how to be an annoying prick.

"How dare you, you moron! You can't just come into my home and kidnap me."

She heard him chuckle. "But we did, didn't we?"

_Okay, so I failed on that one. Channel the prick. Channel the prick._

"You have no right to treat me like this you . . . you . . . tail sucking gutter dragon!"

The dragon stopped, turned and blinked. "What in the heck did you call me?"

"You heard me!"

The dragon just shook his head and pulled her down the hallway. "Fudge wad, dick whip, son of a whiskey boiled lizard!" She'd have to shower for a week to get rid of the filthy feeling that came along with those words.

"Did they teach you language like that at the temple or is it a result of being a traitor for so long? Now shut up before I show you a real dick-Never mind, that wasn't going to come out right." He grumbled.

_What would Xellos say in this case?_ "How can you show something you don't have?"

When he got to the cell, he practically threw her inside."Stupid bitch." Ha! When you need to insult a male, always aim below the belt. "Stay in there and shut up traitor."

There it was again. During the fight at her house, they'd used the word nonstop in reference to her. She heard it on the way there as well. "What do you mean by traitor?"

"You're a pathetic creature that dishonored her people and her god."

Filia got to her feet and walked over to the cell bars. "I haven't dishonored anything." At least nothing important.

"Silence! When the elder comes, he'll reveal your lies like the . . . liar you really are!"

Filia rolled her eyes. "And I thought I was the only one that sucked at insults."

The dragon opened the doors, grabbed her by the hair and slammed her against the wall. He leaned in and grinned. "You won't be running your mouth when your punishment is served. If you weren't so filthy I'd have some fun with you first."

He slammed her against the wall again, eliciting a gasp from her. Blood leaked from the corner of her mouth as her teeth sliced her tongue. She closed her lips and a guttural growl rolled through her body.

He leaned in further, taking in a large whiff of her scent. "You even smell like a whor—"

She spit in his face, making him stumble back as she slouched against the wall. He looked down at her, his eyes bespeaking murder as he used his hand to wipe off the blood and spit upon his cheek. Without saying a word, he turned and walked out of the cell.

She took a deep breath and leaned her entire body against the wall as he left the cell and stormed down the corridor. She grabbed the bar beside her and tried to pull herself up, with no use of her right arm, it meant she had to cross over her body with her left arm so she could grip the steel. When she got to her feet and thought she could let go, her knees buckled and she fell to the ground again.

_I can't let them see me hurt. If I do, it will only satisfy them. Get up Filia. Get up!_

She used her good arm to, again, pull herself to her feet. She held onto the bars until she made her way over to the grey cot in the corner of the cell. She collapsed onto it and pushed herself into an upright position.

Closing her eyes, she tried to focus on healing her ribs, even if she didn't have a full ability to do so right now due to her loss of blood, and her loss of abilities during her time living among humans. The least she'd be able to do was relieve them enough that the pain dulled. The healing was also complicated by the fact she kept half her focus on the sounds around her to make sure no one approached her cell without her knowing.

What in the hell was happening? Better question, why was all of this happening? Did they want Val? If they'd found him then they wouldn't have much of reason to keep her alive, would they? But they mentioned her being a traitor. How was she a traitor to them when she left everyone alone? She'd never given out any of the dragon secrets, not that there were many of them, to anyone. She just wanted to live a quiet life with Val, drink tea, and yell at Xellos.

Her eyes shot open when she felt someone approaching the cell. She kept a calm façade draped across her body as a familiar looking dragon approached. She'd seen him somewhere; maybe he visited the temple when she was studying. From his dark blue robe and gold-coiled rope, she could tell he was a dragon elder. If that didn't do it, then his white hair and the typical long goatee associated with most elders was a telltale sign.

When he gave her a disapproving glance, she wanted to grab his beard and jerk it out. "So you are Filia Ul Copt."

"You captured me and you aren't sure who I am. You certainly are lacking in the brain department."

"Insolent. It's not surprising considering you've been around filth for so long." He paced the length of the cell, not taking his eyes off her, and then clicked his tongue. "It really is a pity the daughter of one of our dragon elders became such scum and committed such despicable actions."

"Such as what?"

He ignored her question and continued like a Shakespearean actor with his head so far up his own ass he didn't realize his fellow actors had lines. "It shouldn't surprise me since you're the nauseating result of an elder corrupted by love for a female."

It wasn't often that dragons actually fell in love and she often took comfort in the fact that her parents were in love. They considered feelings such as that a burden that created favoritism and such close bonds usually resulted in twisted judgments and decisions based on feelings rather than logic. There were occasional mates but that was only to keep the population up. And that failed. Due to this distaste in love and for the most part a lack in sexual desires due to the preachings and seclusion of the temples, the population dwindled. She reasoned it was the same for these dragons. She looked at him and said the first thing that popped into her brain. "Are you mad because you can't get laid?" She leaned forward a bit. "I think it's the beard."

His lip snarled ever so slightly. "The world has poisoned your mind. Your birth was dishonorable."

Dishonorable. Traitor. She was getting sick of those words. "They took special steps to make sure the elders approved of their relationship. My parents and my birth weren't dishonorable."

He stammered for a moment before he yelled, "You're here for your actions not theirs!"

"Then why did you bring them up?"

"Enough! I'll hear no more of your—"

"So you can't hear logic? Are you that—"

"The logic is that you are corrupted. You dishonor what it means to be a dragon and shall pay for it."

Filia wanted to groan in pain resulting not only from her injuries but also from the frustrating way the dragon spoke. He had no reason to hold her there, and even though it didn't matter, still saw it as proper to give her meaningless, illogical reasons for her capture.

The elder straightened and raised his head, looking down at his nose at her. "Don't think we don't know of your relationship with the Beastpriest. A relationship such as yours with a demon is strictly forbidden! He has corrupted you and by following his orders your entire clan perished."

She stood up and grabbed the bars, sticking her face so close she could smell the rust; she bit back a yell of pain as her ribs protested the action. "I don't follow anyone's orders and especially not some squint-eyed son of a beast! Xellos only comes around so he can get pleasure f—"

"I see. Your familiarly and forbidden closeness speaks of your betrayal more than all we have discovered."

"Forbidden closeness?" Filia though a moment at what he meant since he used an even more disgusting tone with his sentence. Her face paled further when she realized what he was implying. She backed away. "Hold up... Xellos and—you think that …"

"Sins of the flesh, corrupt."

Filia thought she was going to throw up on the elder. It would've served him right and she would've done so for spite had there been any food in her stomach. "You're sick to think such a thing would happen between a demon and dragon!"

"I've heard enough."

"Would you listen for just a second so I can get some reasonable words into that lie-filled head of yours?" Not that it would do any good but she had to try once more, for the sake of her father's elder status and for her family's honor.

He turned his back on her. "I'll listen to you no more. I suggest you enjoy your brief rest because we show no mercy to traitors once their punishment has begun."

"Get back here you moron!" she yelled as he walked away from her. "Hey!" She slouched when she heard the main door to the prison slam shut. She sat back down on the cot and put her focus back onto healing her cracked ribs. In a few hours, she might have enough strength to get out of there.

"Where's Xellos when you need him to kill a dragon?" She heaved a sigh. "At least he listens to me when I talk."

Her head shot up and her eyes widened. _No way. I wasn't just wishing Xellos were here. I have to get out of here. This mold is getting to my brain._

But she didn't move. She wasn't healing as quickly as she normally did. It made sense. The dragons wouldn't want prisoners to be able to heal so they must have some sort of dampener around. She got to her feet and limped to the middle of the room.

_Now what was that spell?_ It wasn't the wisest thing for her to cast right now but she wasn't going to heal quickly enough if she didn't figure out what was slowing her down. Recovery from spell casting was much easier than a recovery from physical injuries.

She closed her eyes. "Gnillac nopu egam fo thgil, wohs taht hcihw htrednih ym lleps," she whispered. The dungeon appeared through her mind, hazy like someone filled the dank environment with ash-grey smoke. Through the gradually thickening smoke, the bars on the entrance to the cell thumped with a yellow pulse, while the ones on the windows glossed over with a dark orange sparkling aura that expanded to cover the space between each bar, effectively creating a magic blockade and hindrance.

When she opened her eyes, her surroundings twisted together like different colored paints being haphazardly poured into a large bucket at the same time. She stumbled to the side and her shoulder hit against the wall. She closed her eyes. "Dispel."

She let her body slide down to the floor and inched her eyes open until she got a glimpse of the wall opposite her. It was the tan and moldy rock it was supposed to be, and that meant it was safe enough to open her eyes. She grabbed her stomach when it lurched. Now she was sick as well as injured. Unfortunately, healing magic couldn't cure nausea.

She should've broken the spell before she opened her eyes, but she barely remembered the spell itself and how to focus it enough to see the magic that was slowing her healing. If she wanted, she could blame the spell but knew her lack of skill caused her to make such a stupid mistake. This particular spell wasn't something she studied during her "schooling" at the temple. An old mage taught it to her as payment for one of her maces and it was the first time she'd used it other than the initial learning of it.

_Enough excuses._

"You. Traitor."

She looked at the door and saw an unfamiliar dragon standing before her. Her mind panicked. She hadn't fallen asleep had she? Was it already tomorrow? He threw a burlap bag through the gap in the bars. It landed in front of her. With no explanation, he stalked away

She crawled on all fours to the bag, and grabbed it before returning to her place against the wall, willing her body to fight against the weariness trying to pull her eyes down.

She untied the small rope that bound the top of the bag and it opened on its own. She wrinkled her nose when she smelled the stench of horribly strong pepper and garlic. She picked up the bread and applied a slight bit of pressure, a piece broke off and hit the floor. A rat scurried across the cell, grabbing it without stopping and rushing back into a small hole.

"If I wasn't trying to heal myself, I would've just died." She threw the bread to the place the rat ran to and saw another one (or maybe it was the same one since all rats looked alike to her) come out and grab it before running back into its safety.

She picked up the piece of cheese, turned it around to check for mold and put it back in the bag, she saw two pieces of dried jerky of some kind and remembered the time Xellos teased her about seeing Lina and Goury chewing on dragon jerky. There was no such thing . . . At least she hoped there wasn't.

She stuck a piece of jerky in her mouth and gnawed on it as she tied the bag shut and clipped it at her waist; she'd eat the rest of the food before she left. Right now, she wasn't sure if her stomach would welcome the jerky. She could feel that she'd already gotten stronger and looked down at the cut on her palm to see it was just a small scar still in the process of healing. She'd wait a bit longer and then it was time to act. The bars might be strong against magic but, if they were anything like the bars on the gates she remembered from childhood, they'd hold nothing against brute strength. And Filia was stronger than the average female dragon.


	4. Waffles, Weirdness, and Escapes

In his 1016 years of life, Xellos had never desired to commit mass genocide-even though he wouldn't have gotten into any sort of trouble had he done so on a whim. Of course, that didn't mean he hadn't done it before. He was created for the specific purpose of war and killed on orders, but he much preferred being manipulative, subtle and secretive in his dealings. If that led to a bad end for the people he was associating with, so be it.

But right now, with all the people around him being friendly and happy when he just wanted clear answers to his questions, he was tempted to pull a Lina Inverse and make the entire city explode before he systematically killed any unlikely survivors.

He stared at the old man in front of him, who was now rambling about his wife and what a hot curvy blond she used to be. He half hoped the wife would show up and, in an old-fashioned action, hit him upside the head with a cast-iron skillet.

"Sir, I was asking about Filia. She's the blond dragon that runs the pottery and mace shop on the corner of town."

The old man yanked his pants up over his stomach and laughed aloud for no reason Xellos could think of. "Ah yes, sonny, my wife was a dragon in the bedroom. Roared like one. Later, much to my disappointment mind you, she got as fat as one."

He tried to banish the thought that the man actually copulated with someone. With him being so large and his wife being horizontally gifted in measurements, the schematics were terrifyingly mind-boggling. He tended to picture things people told him regardless of whether he actually wanted to or not, and these thoughts were going to make him sicker than a baby's laugh.

Xellos cocked an eyebrow as his eyes fell to the man's rotund stomach, his pants straining to fit around his waist, and then back up at his two. . . No, it was three chins. "Can dragons marry whales?" he said finally before turning on his heel and walking away. He heard the man yell something about youth and being disrespectful. It was funny considering he was about a thousand times older than that man was.

He now knew why Filia lived around here. They were just as bullheaded, stubborn and annoying as she was. Is. She is. She wasn't dead.

"She'd better not be dead," he muttered. He stopped when he arrived in front of a three-story shop made of bricks, above the door, the sign read: Beat Your Sausage and Waffle House. He chuckled at the name, and looked on the chalkboard in front of the shop. "Breakfast sausage plate," he read aloud. "No eggs or fish breakfasts for the first week in the month."

_Wonder why?_ He moved out of the way when the door opened and a short black-haired girl walked out of the building while munching on a piece of cheese. There was a tall skinny girl with her, giving him the evil eye as if he were something to be afraid of. . . She had good sense. They stopped.

"Have I seen you before?" the black haired girl said, her voice muffled thanks to the cheese.

He didn't answer her, instead saying, "Do you know Filia Ul Copt?"

"Yep. Ah! I saw you go into her shop a while ago. Haven't seen her in a few weeks though. Halitosis here and I just got back from Tusuntria."

"Right," Xellos said.

The cheese girl leaned toward him and removed the cheese stick from her mouth. "Avoid Tusuntria if you can. The people there are . . . well, they aren't the brightest bunch of bananas."

She didn't have to tell Xellos that. The last thing he wanted was to go back to the place. He was the reason they were having trouble with the previously dormant volcano. "Yes, I've been there."

The girl motioned inside. "Someone in the waffle house might know something," she said before she and Halitosis walked away.

He walked into the restaurant and looked around. The tables in the middle of the room were crowded with people; they sat so close together they could barely move their arms to pick up their forks. The bar at the back of the room was more crowded than the tables, the patrons leaning awkwardly to the right starting from one side to the other. The guy sitting at the right end of the counter was holding himself up with a fork jabbed into the corner of the bar. It bewildered him a place that served predominately breakfast foods would have such a wide variety of items to assist in the task of getting drunk. _Owner must be Irish,_ he thought.

"Welcome to beat your sausage waffle house, can we beat and smooth you up some breakfast?" He looked to his right to see a pretty, little woman with long black hair. She wore a dark red dress with a black apron, but her large sword was still attached to her belt. She must have noticed him eyeing it. "I'm helping my friend with her restaurant today since her waiters got drunk and fell off the third floor balcony into some cactus. It's nothing serious, just a few broken bones and spines in their ass." She giggled. "So, you want some waffles?"

_She changes the subject quick._ Xellos didn't have time to eat, nor the need, but they smelled so good and he'd never had them before. Besides, the girl reminded him of the way Filia acted when a new tea came out. "Yes, give me your best waffles."

"One house special. Butterun Waffles."

Xellos sat down at a free seat in the corner where it was less crowded. He strived to ignore the people there, but a very plump lady addressed him. "You visit Filia pretty often don't you? Though I haven't seen you there in quite a while. My binoculars aren't what they used to be. I need a new set."

Xellos turned so he could look at her. "It's been a while, yes. Have you seen her recently? Like in the past day?"

"Nope, but I did see some large blond men go into her house. Tallest men I ever saw. I didn't see anything after that because my husband wanted to go eat. He's such a pig. Has the nerve to call me fat as a dragon when he used to be so proud of my roar in bed. Now he calls it a snore." Xellos eyed her as she shoved a huge bite of waffle into her mouth and pointed her fork at him. "He's much larger than I am. He's been bestowed with a lot of chins."

"Right." Xellos scooted away from her and turned his back. He crossed his legs and made a cup of tea appear in front of him. _Crazy, insane, whacked out humans._

The woman who took his order approached him. She sat down a large plate of waffles and syrup and a cup of tea in front of him, despite the fact he already had a cup in his hand. She showed no confusion over it, smiled, and left.

So some men got Filia. This girl seemed familiar with the area and this restaurant. He'd ask her if she knew anything when she came to get her payment. The dragons may have stopped in for a bite. His brain flipped. Dragons? Why'd he think that? No one said anything about dragons. There weren't any more dragons in her clan and the other dragons were filthy cowards who never ventured out of their home cities. Well maybe "filthy cowards" wasn't the best way to describe them. Ugly, shit eating filthy cowards was more accurate.

He poured syrup over his waffles and stabbed one with a fork. He held it up to his nose and stared at it cross-eyed for a few moments before leaning in and taking a bite.

Humans were about the only ones stupid enough to try to take her, and Filia certainly wasn't weak enough to be abducted by humans. Monsters? No, he'd know if monsters had taken her. They would've left behind some unmistakable aura, and it was likely Lord Beastmaster wouldn't have let him go off hunting if that'd been the case.

So, dragons and monsters were strong enough but humans were stupid enough. A mix of dragons and humans? He massacred that idea. Dragons normally wouldn't "degrade" themselves to work with humans. Lina Inverse and her friends had been a necessary degradation and they found a "special," and as much as it pained him to say, their most intelligent (though it wasn't saying much) dragon to do the dirty work.

And now some dragons could possibly have her. As small as the possibility was.

He took another bite of waffle and waited for the girl to approach again.

_**-/-/-** _

Filia finished the food in her bag and now stood in front of the bars. Her head still throbbed and her injuries had yet to heal as much as she desired for her transformation into her dragon body. She had to get rid of some of the bars so she could recover to the best condition in the little time she had to escape. She needed to go find Val, if he was still there, hide him, and find out why they were after her in the first place.

She ran her finger along the bar gingerly, testing if it might have something on it to prevent her from yanking it out of its position. When satisfied no such thing was there, she gripped it, and pulled. It didn't budge. She pulled again, this time bracing her foot against the wall so she could put all her weight in removing the small bar. She clinched her teeth and growled. When she heard a crack, she thought the bar was giving way, only to find herself off balance when her foot slammed through the stone wall, and she fell onto her back. She sat up and glared at the stone.

_Did I do something to deserve the day I'm having?_

She grabbed her leg at her knee and pulled, her foot broke away from the rubble leaving a hole in the wall. She could just punch and kick her way through the wall but that didn't get rid of the spell, and she didn't want them to throw her into another cell.

After she stood and dusted off her butt, she grabbed the bar once again. "These things are stronger than I expected." She pulled again and felt something give way. This time she knew it was the bar coming loose because she had no limbs in the wall. She smiled in triumph as she pulled the bar away from the window. Her healing spell immediately increased in its strength.

She gripped another bar, and pulled. It was easier to remove. She looked to the cell door for a bar she could pull inconspicuously. There weren't any so she'd have to stay away from the door's energy. With the blockade double team of the window bars and the door eliminated, her healing would accelerate anyway. Besides, if she pulled any of those loose the entire-she heard a crack, stiffened, and sweat started to pour off her forehead. She turned around as if in slow motion as the wall behind her collapsed completely, giving a view of the gardens she hadn't wanted to see quite yet.

She didn't have a choice; she had to transform and get out of here. If she were put in another cell, she'd never heal. She jerked off her cloak, and jumped from the hole in the wall. As she fell, she lifted the dress over her head and golden light surrounded her. She was extremely fast when completely healed and could usually out-fly the dragons in her clan, but now she wasn't sure if she could summon enough energy to get away.

But that wouldn't be an easy task even if she were at full strength. These were wind dragons. If the rumors of their ability to control wind currents were true, she'd need a substantial head start to keep from being captured. She put a large portion of energy into her flying and shot over the buildings so quickly she couldn't make out the color of their roofs. Then she angled her body and soared upward on a current, moving higher, and hopefully, out of sight of other dragons.

**-/-/-**

The elder rushed out of his room when he heard everyone in the hall yelling and running as if they were in a war zone. He turned to the left and Dimitri running toward him. "Are we being attacked?" the elder asked. If they were, then he couldn't think of who would do it other than a demon. If that was the case, they were all as good as dead.

The dragon skidded to a stop a few inches away from him. "The traitor has escaped, elder."

"What? You didn't put magic inhibitor spells on those bars?"

"We did but she"-the dragon covered his mouth with his fist and coughed-"broke them."

The elder grew quiet and it seemed as if the rest of the room silenced as well. "Dimitri, did you just say she broke them?"

"Yes, sir."

"As in damaged them."

"Pulled them out of the wall elder. Two of them."

The Elder paced. What in the hell did those fire dragons teach their temple priestesses? "And just how did she know the spell was there in the first place? I thought you roughed her up. She shouldn't have been able to heal enough to break the bars or even be able to sense the inhibitors."

"I don't understand it either elder. She didn't seem so skilled when we were fighting her. Though, she was spirited."

Spirited? Even spirited dragons didn't break bars sealed with inhibitors. He took a deep breath to keep from getting angry. "Very well. Then how did she get out between two bars?"

Dimitri looked to the left then the right without moving his head, and coughed again. "When she pulled the bars, the wall caved in. We found her clothing so she must've transformed and flew away."

The Elder stared at him, looking quite disturbed. "I've told them we need new walls in the dungeon," he muttered then straightened his posture. "Go get Archier and track her down."

"Archier?" he asked with a half groan.

The elder sighed. Not many dragons thought highly of Archier but he served his purpose in their group. "I know, I know, but he's the only dragon who can fly as fast as you. Go!"

"Yes, sir," Dimitri said and rushed off down the hall.

The elder brought his hands up to his temples and rubbed. _Jerked out the bars. She jerked out the blasted bars!_ "Why must dragon women be so violent?"


	5. Raging Chases

She'd describe the forest ahead of her as a fir and sequoia savior with its thick green leaves, pine needles, and numerously large branches. An odd, thick vine, twisted through the branches forming mazes and hidden coves both difficult to get to and dark enough that she could hide herself in their arms. It would still be a few minutes before she reached it, and once she did, she could transform into her human form, rest and hide until it was safe; then, she'd make her way home again, preferably under the dark of night when she was fully healed.

A stream of air that felt like needles pricking and sinking into her scales flashed down the center of her back, ripping her optimism like a tornado. The current around her changed and she adjusted her wings before venturing to look back. _No! No! No!_ Two dragons, including the one who threw her in the cell, bore down on her with the love of the chase in their eyes and their mouths salivating as if she were a rabbit they were hunting to eat.

She forced herself to fly higher, toiling against the ache in her wings and neck, and the thumping of her heart, while she fought against the thickening air. Her body shuddered under the strain and she fell a few feet before regaining control. She shut her eyes, exhaled, and labored higher instead of faster, choosing to dart through some lower than usual, fluffy clouds. She looked back and saw the dragons had a harder time ascending due to their bulk.

But they were still getting closer.

"There's no way you can get away from us," one of them said.

_I have to fly. I have to get back to my son. I can't let them recapture me._ She said her words repeatedly, hoping that if she spoke them enough times, a miracle might appear. Maybe a miracle with purple hair?

No. She didn't want that. He wasn't what she needed to think about right now, but much to her annoyance, he was exactly what she needed to escape.

But what she needed didn't matter. He wouldn't waste his time on a fool dragon; because, it was evident he'd grown tired of their bickering. If she wanted out of this situation, she had to do it herself in any way she could.

She pointed her head and neck forward and drew upon the powers she was reserving for healing to propel herself even faster.

**-/-/-**

A squeal sounded over the normal rumblings in Beat Your Sausage and Waffle House. "Dragons are wonderful! And Filia! She's just the prettiest, most polite dragon I've ever met. Well, it's not like a met a lot of dragons, but I just love them."  
Xellos cringed. He didn't think a human could rival Filia on the decibel level of screeching, but he was wrong, and he now regretted asking the dark-haired, temporary waitress about Filia. She looked like a no-nonsense straight to the point type human, but he'd been wrong about that too. "So wrong," he muttered.  
"In fact, one of my most precious dreams is to ride a dragon. Not like one of those that turn into human form of course." She giggled. "If that's what I wanted, I would've asked Miss Filia. But I want to tame my own dragon. Ooooooo high in the sky, above rainbows and fluffy white clouds. Oh! And I can save people with my little cute dragon throwing little cute flames while I hold my shiny sword of justice!"  
 _Wonder if this girl knows Amelia?_

"Dragons are so glorious, heavenly, majestic creatures! Dragons! I love them!"

She let out another squeal and Xellos slouched, both in frustration and in sickness at all the goodness coming from the young woman. He could feel his energy draining out of him. _Why can't I find one normal human here? Just one?_ He knew all humans weren't as strange as these were.

When felt a jerk in his body, as if his heart was trying to burst through his bones and flesh, his complaints were forgotten. Was this girl's happiness really affecting him that much? He grabbed his lower back and tilted over as his body trembled.

No, it was something else. . .

**-/-/-**

The wind whistled and hummed through her ears in a constant strain of pitches. The cool air chilled her eyes, that were now open so she could see where she was going, and the smell of an oncoming rain gave life to her lungs, but at the same time caused her throat to feel cold and raw. She didn't respond to her pursuers constant taunts so she could reserve every bit of energy she had left.

But it was hard. They started with insulting her family, and then moved on to sexual insults about her tail, ass, and breasts (when she was human).

"My clan is the fastest in flight and no fire dragon will out fly me," one of them said. His voice was just an added annoyance to the wind's song.

With a new-found determination, she changed her strategy of flight, choosing to drop lower and move faster. She heard the laughs of other dragons and a shout of, "she's a spunky one". She pelted along the mountain pass, swinging around outcroppings, hulking trees, and summits.

The rain she'd smelled earlier began to fall from the clouds above and the wind gained vigor, working against her, as if trying to push her into the possession of the dragons speeding behind her. The rain felt like acid against each scale as it hit her. The thunder clapped as if amused at her misfortune.

"Gotcha," she heard and felt several sharp spikes dig and grind into a thick part of her tail. She bit back a shrill cry when he yanked and spun her around. She tried to pull against his iron bite, but she didn't have the position or the strength to do it.

He let go of her. She slammed into a mountainside, leaving an imprint of her body, before she slid down (leaving a large gully within the rock), and hit onto ledge. Her body barely fit on the outcrop and her tail swung off the edge. She felt the blood ooze from the bite, mixed with the rainwater as it ran down her tail in thin streams and dyed the leaves on the small tree growing out of the cliff.

She struggled to lift her head, her stiffening neck muscles protesting and weighing down the action as the ledge broke apart along its ends. Her eyes lifted to see the dragons barreling toward her, her body jerked and blood spewed from the corners of her lips.

_Move Filia. You can't die._

The dragons flew in front of her and she could barely make them out through the red glaze that covered her eyes. One went closer and with one final burst of energy, her teeth grabbed his neck and ripped into the skin. When she felt his blood sinking into her mouth, she let go, and gagged. The dragon fell.

The other dragon slapped her with his tail, knocking her off the right side of the outcropping with such force she hit into the other side of the canyon before slamming onto the ground, not knowing if it was rocks or her body cracking upon impact.

Her eyes moved to the dragon across from her. His eyes were rolled in the back of his head and far too much of his blood leaked out of him for her to nurse the possibility he was alive.

She'd killed him...

No...

She hadn't meant to…

She didn't have the strength to scream from the physical pain nor the mental anguish wracking her body.

_Val, I'm sorry. I'm not going to make it._

She gave in to darkness.

**-/-/-**

Xellos wouldn't have been able to remain standing if not for the solid grip on his staff. His grasp was so tight on the wood that it would shatter into splinters if he kept the hold for too long. His eyes opened, burning and watering, and glazing over to the point his surroundings were blurry. His jaw tensed so harshly, his teeth grinded against each other. If he didn't know any better, he was sure that his black blood was boiling, an oddity considering his body temperature never fluctuated unless he wished it or he was injured.

But he wasn't injured. That little bit of joy that girl displayed wouldn't have this sort of effect. Nothing had this sort of effect. No one . . . No one ever had this effect . . . except her.

His shaking increased, both in anger at the dragon for likely being the cause even though he wasn't sure or gave a shit—she was a good scapegoat—and because he wasn't supposed to get like this.

He dropped his staff to hug himself, his hand gripping his sleeves until he heard the seams rip. Even though his clothing was part of his being, now they were just normal clothing.

"Hey, are you okay? Moon, I think you need to get out here! There's something wrong!"

_What is this? I can't control my anger. If I stay here then I'm going to destroy this place. . . I have to get the hell out of here._

He phased out just as a woman with light brown hair emerged from the kitchen. "What was that Riri?" she asked, her eyes wide.

She turned to look at Moon. "What do you put in those waffles?"

"You mean the house special?"

The dark haired girl nodded.

She raised her finger to her chin. "Just normal things. Flour, egg, vanilla, and a tad bit of rum."

"How much is a tad?"

"Half a bottle."

-/-/-

Dark purple aura swirled around him and flew around his body from his feet to the top of his head in the form of large flashing flames. He pooled a crackling, smoking ball of energy within his palm, screamed and hurled it forward while releasing the energy around his body. The entire area exploded starting from the middle and extending outward in shockwaves, tearing up ground, destroying trees, decimating mountains, and sending chunks of debris for miles. When everything was disposed of, only a large crater remained.

-/-/-

Amelia shot up from her chair and rushed over to the window. "Mister Zelgadis! Look!" she yelled and pointed into the distance. He walked over to the window and sighed when he saw a huge cloud of smoke. Obviously from a giant explosion.  
Zelgadis shook his head. "Looks like Lina's up to trouble again."  
Amelia crossed her fingers, and then crossed her arms in an X in front of her. "Please don't let her come here. They've just repaired the damage she caused with the tidal wave."

-/-/-

Goury looked over at Lina as the smoke from an explosion sailed into the air. They wouldn't have been able to see it if they weren't high upon a mountain eating lunch. He stuck the last bit of his sandwich in his mouth and looked at her.

"Hey, I didn't do it!" she said with a full mouth. "I'm right here after all."  
"Yeah, I don't know what I was thinking," he said and tore into a bowl of rice.  
Lina folded her arms and growled. "After I get done eating, I'm going to find out who it was. Someone is stealing my act."

-/-/-

Xellos wiped the rare sweat from his head as the smoke dispersed in the air around him. His face was littered with bewilderedness, his mind fraught. "What happened to me?" He lifted his hand and looked at it. The skin was charred but he felt no pain with the injury. He watched as it repaired itself and then dropped his hand to his side. "Why'd I lose control like that?"


	6. Mistakes

Zelas reclined against a pile of red and gold pillows and brought her cigarette to her mouth. With a small flick of her lighter, the end was burning and giving her that taste she'd long grown accustomed to. After taking a long drawl and releasing the smoke out of the side of her mouth, she chuckled. Things were becoming exceedingly interesting and if it continued in the path she thought it would, it would only become more so.

She'd heard about matters such as this happening but never thought she'd ever witness it and especially not with her BeastPriest. Since she created Xellos, she'd not seen him lose control the way he had over that dragon. It was entertainingly ironic that the very thing he wanted to find and protect was a member of a race that he slaughtered.

His confusion was tasty and his anger like a large meal, almost as satisfying as the alcohol she consumed on a frequent basis. Regardless of how these events turned out, she would be entertained with every nuance until the end.

Her priest could be so naïve. So very naïve. Thought it was insult to herself, for she was who created him, she shrugged it off.

She could make mistakes too after all.

**-/-/-**

Voices, she heard them whispering in her mind, coming to her through the haze of pain jolting from her tail to the end of her wings to the top of her head. If she didn't know better she'd think even the bow she kept tied around her tail was in pain. She focused on hearing the voices, praying that she just fell and hurt herself at home and that everything had been a nightmare.

"The barrier and seals are ready." She immediately recognized the voice and it confirmed she hadn't been dreaming. It was the dragon that had chased her. The one that had been with the dragon that she . . . she ki—now wasn't the time to think of that. She'd killed him impulsively. For survival. It was instinct. If she kept telling herself that, maybe the words would start to melt into her, make her believe it, and ease her conscience.

"Good," she heard the elder's voice speak. "That will prevent unfor..." She couldn't make out the rest of his line as unconsciousness tried to overtake her. She fought it; she needed to hear what was going on. "If a repeat performance of that little chase of yours happens again it will not be favorable to you."

"I understand. It won't happen again. Archier was careless and paid with his life. We will make sure she'll be executed like a murder as well as a traitor."

She heard a sniff, not one foretelling of an oncoming cold but one of haughtiness. Why did that dragon stand there and obey such a condescending ass. She laughed inwardly; she was one to talk. After all, she'd been blind to the ways of her own elders for so long.

"I told you that I want to keep her alive for now. How many times must I stress that?"

_Why!_ Filia screamed in her mind. _Why do you want me alive? I'm useless to you._ She felt an energy course through her in steady streams then an interruption before the streams continued. Thump, stream, thump, stream.

"I'm sorry, Elder. Please forgive me. We are healing her now."

"Which is a waste of time we could've used for her punishment had you not injured her in the first place, you idiot."

"Elder, if we heal her, we can break her much easier. If we were to torture her before we healed her she really would have-"

"Are you listening to yourself? I just said… Ah, never mind. I don't need you to lecture me. Get to your task. I can sense she's already awake."

Filia didn't want to move. She could feel that despite the healing from the other dragons, her wings were still broken and only she'd be able to pinpoint the area enough to heal them. As it stood now, she didn't have enough energy to heal a paper cut.

"So sleeping beauty is awake. Let's get her to open those blue eyes of hers," the dragon that chased her said.

Her eyes shot open as she felt a weapon sink into her wing. She clamped her jaws together so tightly her teeth hurt but she refused to give them the satisfaction of hearing her roar. She jerked up, but her neck was pinned down to a certain point by a thick steel collar with a heavy enchanted chain attached to the concrete. She looked toward the direction the weapon came from and saw a dragon beside a stand filled with spears, and with one of the weapons in his hand.

"We sealed your body, your magic, and with your broken wings you won't be able to escape," the elder said. He walked to the edge of the barrier and looked up at her with a haughty grin. She wanted to bite off his head. Her entire life, though when she was young she hadn't realized it, the elders had looked at her like that. When she decided to become a priestess, they'd taught her to become one of those higher than thou, nose in the air type beings who thought she was better because she was supposedly holier. The incidents involving Darkstar brought her views and ego crashing into hell.

"What do you want?" she growled.

"Tell us the BeastPriest's plans and that will be the last injury you'll suffer."

_Speaking of hell._ "Even with your torture, I can't tell you things I don't know."

"Isn't your life important to you?"

Filia rolled her eyes. She hated idiots. "Isn't your hearing working?" She lowered her head closer to him. So close she could smell the bitter magic used to construct the barrier. "I . . . don't . . . know . . . anything."

"Why do you side with him?"

"For the love of . . . talking to you is like trying to talk to Lina Inverse when she has a roasted turkey in front of her."

The dragons around her were graced with veils of confusion upon their faces. "Never mind," Filia muttered. Clearly, they didn't know Lina.

Oh how she wished they had. If they did, they'd be no way they'd risk capturing a friend of hers. "You made it clear that you wanted to kill me for treason that I didn't commit, so I'll die whether I speak or not."

Her throat hurt from the cold air that she'd taken in during her fight with the dragons. The vision of the one she killed came to memory, and once again, she banished him to the back of her mind using the same tired excuses of self-preservation and instincts.

"What about that disgusting ancient dragon egg you have?"

Filia felt anger rush her. Disgusting? If there was anything disgusting, it was these dragons before her. Didn't they realize the atrocities her kind committed against the ancient dragons? Were they going to betray Val again? He didn't deserve it! He was just an innocent child. No, not even a child yet. He was just an innocent egg.

"Speak traitor!"

She wouldn't stand for this any longer. She didn't care what kind of torture they put her under; she was tired of dragons like these shaming ones that she once knew were good.

Her father was a good...okay, perhaps not. Her mother was gre...okay that was up for debate too. But she still loved them! They never treated her like... Filia felt an ache in her heart. She wasn't sure if there were truly many good dragons. If she couldn't associate her own family as good, who was to say that the dragon race didn't deserve what they got?

No. There was good in dragons. Val would be good. She'd be the best, kindest she could be, and the ancient dragons weren't bad according to what she knew. "Maybe I am a traitor to people like you." She growled. "If I am, then I'm proud because that means I'm better than you!"

She jolted to the right when another spear tore through the air and into her side. "Better eh? We'll see how much better you are later. Dimitri, go and get that egg. Crack it open and fry it, then bring it here and eat it right in front of her. Better yet, cook it in front of her."

"With pleasure."

Filia pushed herself up, straining against the chain, and released a shriek that echoed through the room, lasting much longer than the standard echo.

"What? You going to bite me like you did Archier? Maybe drink my blood too? You have his blood on your lips." She froze, her eyes widened. "I'll be right back with your egg."

She wouldn't let them hurt Val. She couldn't! Summoning every tinge of strength she had, she shot into the air on her hind legs, the bottom that secured the chain to the ground ripped up halfway.

"Stop her," the elder yelled.

Filia pulled again, feeling the other side of the collar give away from the ground. Just one more and— she shrilled as flaming arrows sank into her flesh, the red-hot arrowheads searing where they embedded. Tears filled her eyes, betraying her will not to cry.


	7. The Dragon Temple and Wolfpack Island

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This chapter has a very violent line but I didn't think it warranted an M since I've heard worse in PG13.

Xellos didn't know what possessed him to return to her home since it would only feed the fire of his anger toward the people who took her. Even though he was confused on why he was so angry, the cause of that anger was clear. The sooner he destroyed the cause the better. A thought crossed his mind that he'd go ahead and get rid of Filia as well to save the trouble of ever becoming this unhinged again, but he knew he'd never do that. Why he wouldn't, he still wasn't sure. She was just a dragon.

He fed off the anger of others, but his own anger—a rage that caused whatever acid was in his formed stomach to boil—wasn't pleasant. It rose through his throat and gave him the feeling of what humans called heartburn (he'd never had heartburn but he felt the brunt of it when feeding off a human's negative energy). His head felt dazed, not painful, but stuffed and uncomfortable: an oddity for someone who wasn't supposed to be physically uncomfortable unless attacked by happiness or if he got his sides blow out or his body torn into pieces: that was staggeringly unpleasant.

He muttered under his breath, his mood growing fouler as he passed through the living room, once again taking in all the wreckage. He was about to walk out of her house, to see if there were any clues outside, but he paused when he sensed another presence. His lips inched into a smirk, one of maliciousness, as he looked toward the stairs.

Someone had signed their own death certificate.

He chose to walk up the stairs, his feet stepping so light and fast that he looked as if he were floating a millimeter above the light blue rug. Satisfaction coursed through him with every movement, an instinctive thrill of the hunt, of sneaking upon his pray and know within minutes he'd be ripping out his victim's heart and feel the blood coursing down his palm. Normally, he enjoyed making someone miserable through mischief and was rarely pleased with killing, but right now, he felt the delight of forthcoming death spate through every pore of his skin and every thump of his "heart".

He stopped at the door and saw a dragon snooping around Filia's bedroom. He threw Filia's items to the left and right as he dug through them with no regard for her privacy.

"Didn't anyone ever tell you that peaking through someone's things is considered bad manners?"

Before the dragon could turn and respond, Xellos darted forward and slammed his staff onto the dragon's skull, not hard enough to knock him out but enough to make him groan and fall to his knees.. Xello's eyes narrowed into slits and he giggled at the same time, it reminded him of his friend Rumple in another world he visited when he was bored of this one.

Xellos grabbed his hair and jerked him to his feet. "Where is she?"

Then the dragon had the nerve to laugh. "So you're after the trollop? I had a lot of fun with tha—"

Xellos slammed his foot into the dragon's crotch, drawing a shriek from him. "You won't be having that kind of fun anytime soon. By the time I'm done your balls are going to be bigger than your ego." Xellos kicked again, causing the man to keel over. He slammed the tip of his staff onto the man's back, pushing him against the floor.

"Now, tell me where she is or am I going to have to do an amateur castration. I must admit in all my years I've never taken someone's dick and shoved it down their throat until they choke."

"The dragon temple."

He removed his staff from the dragon's back and grinned. "That was easy. Such a—"

"But you won't be alive to go there." Light blue aura swirled around the dragon.

"Oh come on," Xellos said, quite bored with the standard go-to with these house-sized komodo dragons with wings. Xellos rose into the air as the idiot formed into a reptile, growing bigger and bigger until Filia's house crunched underneath them. _She's not going to be happy about that._

Before the dragon could move to throw Xellos off him, he shot power through his staff, freezing him. "I think I'll send you to Lina Inverse after I kill you so that she'll finally have that dragon delicacy she's always wanted to eat. She can cook you with her dragon slave."

The dragon looked confused for a moment before his eyes widened. "Dragon slave…No! I know her! Please."

Xellos' eyes flashed an even deeper purple. "Should've thought of that before you kidnapped my dragon. He slammed his staff into where he knew the lungs were and blood erupted from the dragon's mouth, showering over both Xellos and the buildings around them. The dragon's head flopped backward, landing on a group of trees.  
Xello's leaped off, jerked the dragon's head from his neck, and then sent the rest of the dragon on its way to Lina and the head to Beastmaster.

**-/-/-**

Xellos closed his eyes and concentrated on the closest dragon temple. He wrinkled his nose when he felt the aura but forced himself to search through the disgust for Filia's energy: He felt nothing. She was either unconscious, or behind a barrier of some kind. There was no possibility that she was dead. He refused to believe anything like that would happen to the stupid dragon.

"Either way," he said, "they're dead." He transported to the temple, choosing to appear inside rather than deal with outdoor guards as well.

He shuddered when the smell of dragons hit him. Filia always smelled of daisies or chamomile, or lemon tea. This area smelled like a stable. He raised an eyebrow and glanced at the door when he saw a dragon rushing toward him. He waited for the overgrown lizard to arrive, then with a swipe out with his staff, the dragon's neck popped and his head flew off his shoulders.

Xellos grinned as the smell of blood took the place of the dragon scent. "Smells a tad bit better," he said and gave a little giggle as he exited the room.

He sauntered down the hall as if on a casual walk even though dragons were attacking with every few steps he took. This was much easier than when he fought the golden dragons, but now he killed with more finesse and in more varied ways. Some he decapitated, some he tore their limbs off and knocked them out with them so they'd bleed to death, others he blew holes through until they looked like dragon shaped Swiss cheese.

Xellos spotted a young dragon running down the hall toward two doors. He teleported in front of him and grinned. "Just where are you going?"

The dragon skidded to a stop, his entire body shaking. This young man looked him the face, knowing his was going to die and afraid enough that he was probably about to pee himself. Then, the young one made eye contact, and that was braver than any other dragon Xellos had met (other than Filia).

"I. . . I. . . "

"Tell me where she is," Xellos said.

"But I..."

"You want to end up dead like your friends?" Xellos asked. In all honestly, he didn't really want to kill this dragon for some reason. It was a gut feeling about the young one. He wouldn't ignore it if the dragon cooperated. "Tell me where she is."

"I can't."

"I've never seen a dragon with a death wish before. Such a brave young man to give up your life for idiots."

The dragon made a fist and growled. "There's a barrier around her, but since you killed so many you'll have no trouble with it."

"And where is this barrier?" he asked, relishing in the fear rushing off the dragon in waves. It gave him more strength than the bloodshed he'd already caused.

"Northern Corridor," he said. "She's through the two double doors at the end of the hall."

Xellos placed a hand on top of the dragon's head and grinned as his fear heightened. He ruffled his hair before removing his hand. "You see, that wasn't difficult at all. If your compatriots hadn't attacked me then I wouldn't have had to decorate this hallway with corpses."

"You aren't going to kill me too?"

Xellos held up a finger and wagged it. "Not unless you get in my business. Do you think you can stay out of my way?"

"I don't understand. You're a demon so why would you care what happens to a dra—"

"Tsk tsk, that's getting in my business."

His eyes widened. "Oh, I'm sorry."

"You'll behave." Xello's walked past him but paused and turned back to him. "Ah, and while I'm being compassionate, this is just so you don't get into trouble." He hit the younger dragon in the back of the head, knocking him out cold.

"Yes, Xellos said and tilted his head to the side. "I think someday you'll be handy."

-/-/-

Xellos rushed toward the doors the dragon told him about, punching and stabbing and kicking whatever dragon got in his way and ignoring the ones that ran (he figured he might as well reward them for their brief flicker of intelligence).

When he arrived at two dark green doors embedded with etchings of some dragon and wolf fight, the dragons obviously shown as the victors since their pride couldn't take the truth. He placed his palm on the doors, closed his eyes, and saw the flicker of a blue barrier swirling and cracking like it was frying: something was trying to break it. They really were stupid to think that such a barrier would keep anyone from the outside away from whomever it contained: in this case, Filia.

He concentrated power into his palm and then released it, blowing the doors into kindling. A huge smile crossed his face at first when he saw Filia standing at full height, her hair sticking in different directions and her gold aura sparking the way it did the time he "accidentally" turned her kiln into a barbeque rotisserie and stuck roasted lizards on the skewers.

"Let me go you bastard or I'll eat you," she said and released a loud roar. Her aura sparked again and then weakened too fast to be healthy. Xello's eyes shot open at the feeling and he watched as she fell to the ground and cracked the stone beneath her. She struggled to get to her feet again but was unsuccessful in the endeavor. When he saw a dragon hurl one of the spears at her, he managed to transport in time to catch it before it embedded in her neck.

"It's the Dark One," one of the dragons yelled.

"You've given me the wrong title!" He growled and launched the spear back at the dragon who threw it. It slammed through the middle of the dragon's head and into the wall behind him. The body stayed upright for just a moment before falling to the ground with a thump.

The elder looked at the dragon beside him, horror painted over his aging face. Then, he turned his sights to Xellos with the nerve to direct hate at him. "How dare you enter this sacred place, demon?"

"This place is about as sacred as a whore house." He glanced at Filia. Her eyes were glassy and tears ran out of their corners; he saw the shock within them. Her breathing was harsh and skipped occasionally, and he could sense her life force was barely there. She was alive purely because of her obstinance, her strongest feature, but she only had so much of that.

He flew over to her head and placed a hand on her muzzle. He leaned forward and looked into her eyes. "Don't die on me you damn dragon."

She managed to force an exhale. "Wh…Why." Her eyes rolled back in her head for a few moments, but they came back to look at him. Then she took another forced breath.

He had to get her out of there before she— her eyes closed. "Damn you." He didn't have a choice. He had to take her to his home. If he didn't, he was going to lose her.

_Lose her? I . . . I never had her._

He placed a hand between her eyes and shot a short healing spell, one that made him sick but was enough to keep her alive, through her. He punctuated a stern look at the dragon elder. "If you ever cross my path again I will make sure that you experience hell on earth before I send you to one that won't be nearly as bad as what I inflict on your flesh."

Then he disappeared with Filia and headed home.

**-/-/-**

Xellos didn't have time to regret landing in Zelas's garden as he doubled over and felt like he was going to vomit. The white magic healing spell he'd used to keep Filia alive took more out of him than he expected.

"Xellos."

He looked up and saw Beastmaster walking toward him. He couldn't read her expressions, had never been able too unless she wished it, so he didn't know if she was angry or not. He pushed himself up into a proper kneeling form.

She stopped and eyed Filia before turning her regard onto him. "As much as I adore dragon corpses, I didn't intend to have a dragon fountain complete with blood, drifting all over the grass. I like the smell of my flowers without the added stench."

"Forgive me Beastmaster, but I didn't have a choice. She needed help and I couldn't provide it there."

Her lips twitched upward. She sauntered up to the dragon and ran her hands through the fluff of hair on Filia's head, as one would pet a furry dog. "What happened to her?"

"The wind dragons did it. They called her a traitor. Please mistress. Let her stay here until she's healed."

Zelas moved her hand from Filia's head over to Xellos' head. "My, you have been demanding as of late." She flicked a strand of her hair behind her ear with her other hand and grinned. "I do hope you don't forget your place."

"I would never Beastmaster."

She let go of him and shrugged. "Fine, since the gift you sent me was so charming, she can stay here. Keep her in the area behind my home and out of my garden of course."

"Yes, Beastmaster."

"And you will be responsible for taking care of her regarding all matters. Is that clear?"

"I will make it seem as if she's not even here."

"That means that there will be no bringing anyone here that can use healing spells." She removed her hand from his head and folded her arms across her chest. "And do not use that white magic spell again. It's made you weak. You will have to heal her on your own with human remedies. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Beastmaster," Xellos said. He wouldn't be able to take using another white magic spell for a long time. He couldn't even remember where he learned the one he did have.

"Now go get what you need while I'm here to watch her, and be sure to hurry. We wouldn't want the wolves eating her would we?"

He bowed his head and disappeared.

Zelas chuckled at him. It was good he hadn't lost his fear of her in the years he'd known this dragon. She cast a look at Filia from the corner of her eyes before turning around to exam her further. What was it about this creature that had her beast priest so enamored?

"I … I don't need your help. . . Xellos."

Zelas laughed aloud, causing the wolves that surrounded them to tilt their heads to the side in question. "Stubborn. I bet he admires that." She unfolded her arms and, once again, placed her hand on Filia's head. "I'm going to make sure you don't talk to my priest for a while. I want to see the truth rather than have to sift through possible lies you tell me." Her hand glowed with energy and covered Filia with a charcoal colored mist for a few seconds before it faded into the evening air. "Just be thankful I'm not cutting out your tongue you hideous creature."

**-/-/-**

Xellos sat down at her head and hauled the tip of her tail so it rested over his lap. "Damn Filia, have you ever considered going on a diet?"

When he'd arrived back to her, she'd been in a state between wakefulness and full on sleep. Now she was awake and slightly more alert, well worth the pain of the healing spell he cast.

He hid a smile when he heard her snort and relaxed the tenseness that rested across his shoulders. He wound the bandages around the end of her tail, replacing the blood soaked bow with the white bandage.

"You'll have to get plenty of rest and put your focus on healing your internal damage. The medicine I'm using can heal the outer." He looked at her when she didn't respond. "Why aren't you talking? Did I put the bandages on your jaws too tight?"

Fila exhaled through her nose, this time the breath was steady, and opened her mouth to say something. Nothing enunciated. Her facial expression turned to a panicked one.

His lifted a hand to his chin and leaned forward. He concentrated on her energy and felt a tincture of Beastmaster's magic. But why would she silence Filia?

_Stupid question_. Filia had a habit of yelling at him and others when her temper reached boiling point and Beastmaster enjoyed her peace and quiet too much to put up with noise.

"Well," he said as he took a container of salve out of his satchel, "it looks like I won't have to hear you complaining for a while."

She growled low in her throat as he stood, letting her tail gently drop to the ground, and walked closer to her. It was safe to assume she couldn't tell the extent of her injuries and likely had many questions floating in her brain. He'd try to answer the most obvious ones for her.

"You're at Wolfpack Island. Nothing will happen to you as long as I'm here so try to relax. You can stay here until you heal. I left you in your dragon form because if you changed back now it will kill you." He stepped up to a wide cut on her chest and dipped his hand in the salve he held. "And don't look at me with that suspicious look. I don't want anything from you…"

_Yet._ He added silently. He'd call in this favor.

She looked hesitant as he placed the salve on her cut. He heard a low growl, similar to one of the wolves here on the island, before she silenced. She kept her gaze on him as she settled her head on the ground.

"Well what do you know, you didn't bite me. Wonder if hell has frozen over." He laughed. The last time hell frozen over, its occupants had been baffled until they discovered that Goury helped Lina's group by saying something intelligent.

He slapped a patch over her wound. When her head swung around to hit him, he leaped out of the way and onto a tree branch, proud that he was able to get her riled enough to try to hit him even when she was injured. She'd get better, which was a great, but confusing, relief to the priest.

_Xellos, I have a job for you. Get your ass here now._ Zelas called.

"I have to go for a while Filia. Stay still and heal. I'll be back later." He made sure his small barrier covered her aura so the wolves wouldn't see her as food, and went to see what his mistress wanted.


	8. Chorus of Voices

The puddles of blood pooling on the ground splashed as dozens of dragons thundered through them, all groaning, all bleeding from teeth wounds in their necks. Their eyes bespoke of the desire to tear her apart, but despite their movements, they didn't come any closer to her.

She felt the taste of blood in her mouth, something she'd never known until she'd killed, and she looked up from her shackled hands with pleading eyes full of apologies. Her eyes focused on the dragons, and she realized they were clones of the same dragon.

"You killed me. One of your own kind," he said. "Traitor!" That word echoed around her, each time increasing in pitch and volume until she lifted her hands to her ears to try to reduce some of the brain ripping noise.

Moisture soaked into her ears and she slowly moved her hands until he could see them, her mind going from thinking about the tortuous echoes to her palms red with blood and her nails barely hanging onto her fingers.

"That's my blood. You killed me. Traitor. Traitor. You bring shame on your-"

"Stop it!" she screamed begging for her voice to carry over the echoes of lies the dragon spoke. "It was self defense!"

She jolted awake and heard a splash but didn't open her eyes to see what it was. _"It wasn't on purpose. It wasn't."_ She took a deep breath and cracked open her eyes bit by bit to let them get used to the light.

"Damn, that's only part of a handful of times someone caught me off-guard," Xellos said.

She opened her eyes wider and turned her head toward the voice. Xellos was sitting in a small Koi pond, the shallow water reaching his waist. If she hadn't just awoken from the worst nightmare she'd ever had, she would've laughed. He stood, stepped out of the pond, and with a surge of energy, was dry again within seconds. "Really Filia, wake up gentler next time. You'll injure yourself further."

If she'd been in human form and in a different situation, she would've pursed her lips, placed her hands on her hips and protest about not having any say in how she woke. Now, she was confused on why he was helping her and why Zelas even allowed it. She was a dragon, her kind was a sworn enemy, and demons weren't known for their kindness.

At least they rarely pretended to be kind. Xellos never denied he was evil and, according to Lina, he never tried to pretend otherwise—he just let them believe the conclusions they came to and didn't confirm or deny anything.

Dragons were known for kindness when they were really a bunch of deceitful, power hungry, greater than thou creatures. It scared her that she grew to hate the race she was supposed to be proud of.

She heaved a sigh, raised her head so that it rested on top of a tree with thick foliage, and looked out over the land. She took another breath, relishing in surprisingly fresh air. Even though the residents of this island were demons, the land itself was quite beautiful despite its darkness. It didn't proclaim to be anything except what it was, and that honesty, that scream of danger it gave off, was so much better than what she'd known her entire life.

People that lived in a brighter land, a place with almost always perfect weather for the seasons, tried to use it as evidence they were pure. If the gods saw fit to let them reside there, they expected people never to question their goodness. To be good one had to do exactly what the higher status citizens said, even though they never followed the so-called rules themselves.

In the past few years, her naiveté had faded away, leaving her with a distinct understanding of the way her people were. Her younger self would've yelled at, or possibly attacked, anyone who implied dragons were at fault for anything. Her past self would blame the demons or humans.

Most dragons were equally evil to demons, and she wouldn't be convinced otherwise. Pure beings, kind beings, wouldn't have massacred Val's kind. They were hypocrites. Pure beings wouldn't be trying to kill an innocent baby dragon, wouldn't torture her until all she wanted was to escape or die.

Dragons screamed about the cruelty Xellos committed against the golden dragons, but they'd been just as cold and cruel to Val's kind. Xellos fought during a war; the goldens killed due to a fear they had no need possess. It hurt that she was the last of her kind and that none had a chance at redemption before their deaths, but she thought it a proper punishment for what they did.

She was no better and had proven her own evil by killing that dragon, yet another side of her kept pressing the self-defense argument. All she'd wanted to do was escape and hadn't been thinking about anything except Val, but why didn't she think of another way? A way to just subdue him.

She clinched her eyes shut. _I wish I were—_ Her eyes shot open when she felt a hand on her nose.

"That's enough you foolish dragon. You're unwarranted guilt isn't going to help you heal any quicker. Focus on healing yourself."

Her eyes focused on his face. How did he know what she was thinking? He kept rubbing her nose. When he hit a sore spot, she whimpered and he drew his hand away.

He turned his back to her and folded his arms. "Well that was disappointing," he said. "I thought you were going to purr.

She growled. _I'm a dragon, not a cat_. She took her nose and shoved him off the tree. He stayed in the air for a few seconds, flapping as if he used wings to fly, and then hit head first into the muddy ground.

_Oh no! I was expecting him to avoid that!_

She looked at the two wolves lying by the pond when they made noises that sounded like a growling laughter. The two rolled over on their backs and kicked their legs up.

Xellos braced his hands against the ground and pulled himself out of the hole. He fell back on his butt. "So this is what dirt tastes like?" He stood and spit. "Tastes like rotten nuts."

She hesitated before moving down to nuzzle him since it was the only way she could apologize.

"It's all right. You didn't hurt me," he said, reaching up to run a hand through her long hair.

"What in the hell do you think you're doing, Xellos?"

Xellos jerked away from her. Filia looked to the right and saw Zelas.

"Do you have a death wish? Because if you do I can fulfill it right now."

Filia felt her protective instincts take control. _No Filia, stop it. You don't want to kill anyone else._ She laughed to herself. As if she'd be able to kill Zelas.

Her reasoning did nothing to drown out the constant protect protect protect that resonated in her head like the chorus of a song. She shot forward and snarled at the woman. Her claws dug into the rocks and ground under her, throwing up gravel and mud.

Zelas was unfazed.

"Filia, stop it now!" Xellos said. "She'll kill you." That didn't matter anymore. If she died, at least she died protecting rather than killing someone.

When Zelas walked up to her, Filia lowered her head and narrowed her eyes. Beastmaster looked into her eyes with her own glare then . . . she burst into laugher. Her spit flew onto Filia's face. Filia's mouth dropped as much as the bandage around her jaws would allow, and Xellos stumbled to stand beside her head.

"Be…Beast master?" Oh yes, he was just as confused as she was at the sudden outburst.

"I love it! You've got guts you crazy dragon bitch. Now I see how you managed to snag my servant by the balls." She grabbed her stomach and bent over while laughing.

When she finally straightened, she placed a hand in her bangs and moved them away from her eyes. "You're so lucky that I'm easily amused. Who would've thought a dragon of all things could entertain me without me having to kill it. Perhaps you could be useful sometime in the future. I haven't laughed like that in centuries."

She was too stunned to speak when Zelas walked up to her and placed a hand on her nose. The woman grinned. "Time to give this back to you since it's no longer needed. Consider it a present since I don't have to give it back."

 _The last thing I want is a present from her._ Filia's eyes clinched when Zelas's hand flashed with a charcoal aura for just a second. She opened them when she felt no pain or anything out of the ordinary in her body.

Zelas snorted. "Since that's over, I'll leave you alone now, but don't destroy the property with your sadomasochistic games," she said and left.

_Sado . . . that woman's insane._

"When she laughs like that, she's plotting something," Xellos said and took a few steps until he stood in front of her. She leapt backward when he jerked around to face her. "You are insane!" His eyes were open in a rare display of . . . alarm? "I did all that work to keep you alive, and you stand up to Beastmaster! You practically dared her to kill you." He muttered more words she couldn't make out.

He had no right to be upset when he'd once held her hostage and threatened to kill her. "Then why didn't you let her? That way you wouldn't have had to waste your precious time saving me!"

"I suppose brain damage wouldn't be out of the question," Xellos said, ignoring her. "After all, you've got to be stupid to—Hey! You talked!"

She raised her head a few feet and blinked. "Yes, I did." That must have been the present Zelas meant.

"I never thought I'd miss your bitching."

She whacked him from behind with the tip of her tail, sending him stumbling forward. He clearly allowed that hit since she saw his eyes spot it seconds before impact. "I have reasons for my—"

"Let me get some facts straight with you," he said. "I wasted my time saving you because I felt like it. Bringing you here doesn't give you a right to get involved in demonic matters. I was expecting her to kill you, and it's surprising she didn't. Do you have any idea of the power she has?"

"Do you think I'm an idiot?"

"So you were just pretending to be one."

"Did you just call me stupid?"

He looked genuinely confused. "No. I just agreed you acted like an idiot. You are if you don't leave demonic issues to demons."

She scowled as best as she could in her dragon form and turned her head away from him. "I don't need you to worry about what I do. You should've just left me alone."

"For some reason Filia dear, I can't bring myself to do that. I think we're meant to argue until one of our existences end, and as long as I'm around it won't be yours."

She found herself speechless. Why was he being this way? He'd never said something so . . . sweet? It sounded like a pledge to protect her forever. He had no reason to—a drip of water hit on her nose, ending her confusion and pondering for now _. Rain. Just my luck._

She watched as Xellos unclipped the buckles holding his cloak to his body and removed it.

"What are you doing?"

"Oh Filia, I'm stripping for you. Aren't you the lucky one?"

"Yeah, bad luck, and since when can you do something like that. I thought it was part of you."

"It is, but I can mold it to do whatever I want. Even take it off." He waved his cloak in the air twice before it stretched down to the end of her tail. "Curl under this and sleep, it will keep the rain off you and keep your bandages from getting soaked. Changing you bandages is not an easy task even for me."

She curled under the fabric and took a deep breath. She'd never realize Xellos had a smell before. It was a pure clean smell of blackberries and birch wood. She didn't want to sleep because of the nightmares but as warmth seeped into every part of her, she drifted off into a deep dreamless state.

**-/-/-**

When Xellos heard light snoring coming from under his cloak, he lifted it and peeked at her. She slept deeply her mouth slightly open, the way she did in her human form when he snuck up on her during her afternoon nap. He smiled and lowered the cloak, tucking it under her large body to make sure none of the cool air got to her healing skin.

Then he headed toward his room, choosing to walk to clear his head instead of teleporting. He was relieved she was going to be okay but still confused as to why seeing her well and hearing her bitch at him made him happy. At least he thought he was happy. But if he were experiencing joy, he should be feeling miserable. Happiness made him sick every time Amelia spewed her delight joy justice glee bullshit, so he should be writhing in pain by now.

He walked past Zelas's room and paused when she called his name with her actual voice instead of the mental communication she favored. He turned, walked inside, and dropped to his knee in the perfect bow he used for thousands of years.

"You know," she said and took a drag of her cigarette, "your trick of leaving your cape draped over her won't fool the wolves for long. Why are you shirking your duty to her?"

Xellos pondered for a few seconds and wondered if she was trying to trick him. "My duties are to you first Beastmaster, and I have a few I want to complete ahead of time."

She crossed her long legs and leveled a glare at him. "Cut the bullshit Xellos. Even if you were doing those other duties to me, you're brain is on her."

"It's not my intention." He didn't want Beastmaster to catch him in another lie. His mind was worried about Filia and it was annoying the hell out of him.

"And what are your intentions toward her? Do you even know?"

"I. . . I don't know. But— "

"Go on, speak up. I won't smite you or whatever the hell you think I'm going to do."

"I was wondering if you were plotting something with Filia?"

She clicked her tongue. "My my, you've been brazen as of late. What makes you think I have any sort of intentions for that beast other than allowing your little amusement?"

"Because I sensed your…"

"My what?" She leaned on her elbow. "Go ahead, say it Xellos. My what?"

"It's nothing Beastmaster," he said. "Forgive me."

"Do whatever work that is pressing. If it isn't urgent then get your ass back to her. My wolves might eat her, and I don't want them getting indigestion."

"Yes, Beastmaster," Xellos said and left the room, shutting the door behind him. He flopped against the door, feeling a rare emotion, fear, coursing through him. _I'm lucky Beastmaster is so patient. If she weren't I'd be gone in and instant. What in the hell was I thinking?_

Since all of this started, he'd felt as if someone were forming him into an entirely different being. His past self would've killed her and be done with the issue. Now he was stuck in her problem and though killing had crossed his mind, he was never serious about it.

He had no place interfering in her life. If she were to die, then that would've been her destiny. He cringed and grabbed his chest as a jolt shot through it at the thought of the blond haired woman lying breathless, or her dragon form bleeding and broken with arrows and charred skin decorating her corpse.

"No more," he growled. He transported outside and stared at her body from a distance. Raising his hand, he let power engulf it. He would not be controlled by whatever it was giving these emotions to him. The reasonable thing to do was get rid of the cause. He took a deep breath, trying to summon all of his rage to form a quick death for the dragon in front of him. His eyes opened and he was about to let go of the energy when he saw the cloak shrinking along with the dragon form.

He reduced his energy. Killing her would be easier now (not that it would've been difficult before).

 _Anyone can kill the unconscious, Xellos._ He heard Beastmaster taunt in his head. _Be realistic, you don't have the balls to kill that dragon. Behave yourself._

She was right as always. He let his energy fade and walked over to his cloak. He lifted it from her body and saw she was bare of clothing. He felt an odd and rare sensation disperse through him as he saw her bare skin, but ignored it. Things like that only happened with animals and human males. Not demons.

He tucked the cloak around her and lifted her into his arms, before carrying her to his room; she still didn't have the energy to tolerate a teleport. It'd been risky transporting her in her dragon form when she was severely injured.

He laid her on his never used bed and removed the sheets from her. Her bandages were loose due to not shrinking with the rest of her body, and he could see the superficial wounds were still bleeding. He'd have to change her bandages again. She'd have to recover the rest of the way in his room before returning to the other realm. But what would she do once she was there? Filia was tough but she'd die if the dragons got captured her again. Or take her own life before they got to her. He wouldn't ignore his duties to Beastmaster in favor of saving her and Filia was too proud to allow him to do so.

"For demon's sake, do you know how much trouble you are my silly dragon?" he said then proceeded to clean her wounds and re-bandage them.

**-/-/-**

"Where are you, you power hungry bitch," the elder said as he stared out the window waiting for word from the dragons searching for her. When he heard a knock, he gave permission to enter and turned to the person returning.

"Great Elder," Liam said. He put a fist over his heart and bowed halfway.

"Have you found her?"

Liam forced his voice into a steady tone. "No, there's no sign of her." He forced his body to remain stationary as the elder swung out with his arm and hit a vase on a pedestal, sending it crashing to the ground.

"Then you aren't looking hard enough. She's an injured dragon and there are only so many places she could go even if she's under the care of one demon."

"But that demon is Xellos, the Beastpriest. Even if we did find her, we could not conquer him without extreme numbers. _And even with a significant amount, we'd have no chance._ "He wiped out—"

"You doubt your god would protect you?" the elder said as he approached. Liam straightened to full height, prepared for whatever the elder decided to do to him. Yes, he did doubt his god. Where was the gods when the golden dragons were massacred?

He kept his face stoic as the elder studied it before turning on his heel and heading back to the window. "I am well aware of the history of the golden dragon's demise. I am thousands of years old."

"Yes, elder."

"You are wind dragons, more powerful now than the golden dragons ever were. You will conquer him."

"If we just had more people then we could."

"The dragons not in your group must remain here to protect m—the temple! Now go."

Liam formed a fist behind his back. What he wouldn't give to rip the elder's head off his neck. They were short on dragon power because he was too much of a cowered and pampered to do any work. To make matters more difficult, they were refused the ability to use tracking spells due to "religious purity," so that power was taken from them.

"We've been searching for weeks, sir. My search party is tired. If we may rest for a few days an—"

"No rest, we all must make sacrifices for the good of all."

Liam eyed his hand as it went to a nearby table and picked up a goblet of wine. He couldn't give up on his men no matter how stubborn the dragon before him was. They needed rest.

"Sir, I know I'm new in this task, but the chances of finding her now are nearly impossible and many of our companions need rest for—"

"I don't care," he said.

Liam half expected another fist to hit the table or for the Elder to throw the goblet at him, but he didn't. The elder was acting like as spoiled dragon child that wanted to fly but not allow to without a chaperone.

"Leave and continue your search. Use your power reserves and do not eat or sleep until she's brought here to face her punishment. If you return without her, I will throw you all in prison."

Liam clinched his teeth for a moment before saying, "As you wish elder, we will depart immediately." He turned and left the room, resisting the impulse to slam the door.


	9. Feelings

She slept for three days before she showed any indication that she was going to wake. Xellos reasoned that the transformation back to her human form must've taken much of her energy and she was healing what remained of her injuries. She still had a fever and wasn't strong enough to cure it, so the task of getting her temperature reduced had fallen on him.

He soaked a cloth in a basin of cool water before wringing it out and placing it over her forehead and eyes. Healing this way was slow, and to him impractical, but Zelas forbade his use of healing spells. He expected her to go back to sleep from her half-conscious state but she spoke.

"Shouldn't you be out doing evil stuff?"

Xellos grinned and was thankful the cloth was covering her eyes so she couldn't see it. "I'm healing my enemy. I think that qualifies as evil."

He wiped the grin from his features when she reached up with her shaking hand and removed the cloth. She turned her head to look at him.

"You don't have to do this. I can take care of myself," she said.

"You're doing a piss poor job of healing so far." When he saw her cheeks puff, he spoke before she could say anything. "You know I enjoy annoying you too much to leave you be. My life would be incomplete without you to nag me to death."

He was surprised to hear a chuckle. She moved her head so she was looking back up at the ceiling. "Funny."

"Transforming back into your human form wasn't a good idea. You could've killed yourself."

**"** I didn't do it consciously, stupid we heal in that form, the body takes over. It transformed when it felt ready." She held up the cloth. "The fever is normal, no need to worry about it."

He took the cloth and tossed it in the basin before standing and walking over to her. He leaned over so that his face was close enough that she pressed back hard against the mattress and her eyes widened.

He usually had perfect control of his actions and wants, but the desire to press his lips against hers was becoming too much. It was foreign; he never desired to kiss anyone were for affection unless one was being lustful. He supposed she'd find it odd that he wanted to ravish her roughly where she lay. Since he wasn't human or dragon, she probably figured he was above all was powerful; it was more evil than love regardless of the act that resulted from it more often than not.

"Um… Xellos?"

He shot into a straight positioned. "I wanted to see if you were truly serious about that." He moved over to a table and began to needlessly rearrange the items on it. He felt her gaze on him. "If you were then you'd probably be dead as soon as I threw you on the ground outside of this realm."

He heard a bitter laugh. "You're right."

He refused to turn to comfort her. "Do you know why they tried to kill you?"

"No, they wouldn't say a thing. The elder had his head stuck too far up his own ass to find the time to answer my questions."

Xellos let himself chortle. "The demon realm is influencing your language my dear Filia." He'd noticed that she'd developed quite a potty mouth since he'd been coming around and found the vile hostility rather tasty.

She ignored him. "I think it was some sort of misunderstanding," she said with frustration in her tone. "From what I pieced together, they think I betrayed my clan and that they are dead because you ordered me to betray them."

Xellos huffed indignantly. "Ignoramuses. We demons don't leave such a mess. When we kill, it's straight to the issue. Clean and efficient unless we wish to torture our adversary."

"Like I said, head up his ass."

**"** I guess it's too much to ask for them to see how stubborn you are. If I ordered you to do something, you'd either tell me to go screw myself, ignore me, or try to kiss me with your mace."

"No reasonable dragon would do what a demon said. Even at the risk of death. I wouldn't kill my kinsme…" He turned when she trailed off. She was looking at the window and he could smell her tears. "I killed my own kind."

Xellos resisted the urge to congratulate her on her common sense. It would only hurt her more.

"He wasn't even an adult yet. I was cornered and I just snapped. I am a traitor now. Not only that, I'm a murderer."

"You were cornered. Trapped?"

"Yes."

"They chased you?"

She nodded and sniffed.

"You are one stupid dragon," he said. Her gaze shot to him and he saw the tears that he'd smelled before. "I know a thing about murder my dear Filia, and what you did was not murder. You defended yourself in the heat of the moment. Any being would do that. They are the traitors for trying to kill you."

She looked amazed for a few seconds before her face turned back into a somber expression. "That doesn't resolve my feelings. I can't look at it from the point of view of a demon, Xellos. I don't harbor feelings of vengeance towards them, so I would kill only if I had no other options."

"And you didn't. Tell me, why you were fighting so hard. Was it to survive or another reason? Val perhaps."

Her eyes widened and she nodded. "You killed protecting someone else as well as for your own survival."

"I see."

He knew that wouldn't ease the guilt, and he was even more confused as to why he was trying so to hard ease her guilt. He didn't know what it felt like to hold any sort of guilt, but he'd seen what it did to people. He didn't like the taste of the various emotions rushing off them: suicide being a dominate one. Suicide tasted like a mix of burnt coffee and turpentine.

Before he could say anything further, he felt the Zelas tugging at his consciousness. It was odd, usually she was yelling at him to get to her room. "I must be going now for a while. My mistress is calling."

"Is there something wrong? Are you in trouble for bringing me in here?"

"It's demon issues you need not concern yourself with," he said. "When you feel a bit stronger, which shouldn't be long from now, you can bath, eat—" he pointed to some food on a table "—and walk. Be sure not to open a door if you go out into the corridors unless you relish being eaten by one of Beastmaster's minions."

"Eat me? Are you serious?"

He didn't answer her and disappeared.

**-/-/-**

She didn't like the look on his face when he left. It was bewildered and Xellos was never bewildered by anything. He told her not to be concerned, and she would try not to be, but ever since Xellos started spending time with her, her worry for him grew.

Her stomach rumbled and she looked over at the table where the tray of food sat. It'd been a while since she'd eaten, a few weeks possibly (she didn't know for sure how long she'd been there).

She sat up and stumbled over to the table, grabbing onto pieces of furniture for balance when she wobbled. She'd been still for such a long period that it was strange to stand. She sat down on the chair and her eyes fell to a small, wrapped parcel. She picked it up and cautiously tugged on the string just in case Xellos was playing a joke on her. He knew how curious she could be and often took advantage of her trait.

When the parcel opened, she removed a small piece of folded paper, opened it, and read it aloud. "A blue ribbon for your ugly dragon tail. Better than that horrid pink."

She wrinkled her nose. There was nothing wrong with pink. But even if that were so, she'd be sure to tie the blue silk ribbon around her tail when she felt better.

"What an idiot," she muttered before digging into the food.

**-/-/-**

After Xellos got back from another mission, nothing seemed out of the ordinary with Zelas. He gave his report and she still kept the same posture as always, still commented with the same tone, and still smoked the same amount of cigarettes depending on the length of his report. So, it came as a shock when after he was done speaking, his mistress bellowed at him.

"Throw that yellow trash out of my house."

He was stunned but didn't show it. He was confused—an emotion that became a close companion in the past few weeks—at Zelas' sudden demand. One moment she was insisting that he take care of Filia, the next demanding he throw her out. "What?"

"You heard me. Make her pack up and take everything she's sullied. Throw her out of my realm. I want nothing to do with her."

"Did…Did she do something?"

"I said get her out!"

"But my mistress, she's still recovering and you told me to take care of her until she—"

"I changed my mind Xellos. Are you going to defy me?"

"No! No! I'm only saying that—"

Zelas stood. "Fine, I regret I'm going to have to destroy you. You were so hard to create, but I'll start over with a better blueprint in a few thousand years."  
"Please don't. I'll leave willingly." Xellos turned and saw Filia standing in the 'd told her not to venture out, but should've expected she wouldn't listen.

"You haven't recovered yet."

"Shut up demon. I said I'd go and I will."

"Butt out you stupid dragon. Go back to the room."

**"** Shut up Xellos. At least she shows some sense." Zelas looked her over and without taking her gaze off Filia, said, "I wish to speak with her so wait outside the castle while she gets her things. She will leave and you will show her out of the domains. Then you will return immediately. Do you understand me?"

Xellos stared at Filia and then turned to Beastmaster, and bowed as low as he could just short of kneeling. "Yes, Beastmaster," he said. Instead of teleporting, he stalked past Filia, not casting her a second look.

Filia inclined her head to Zelas.

"If he wasn't a demon he would've shit his pants, don't you think so?" Zelas asked her.

"I'll admit you're intimidating."

"Yet you came here and asked something of me. That is either brave or stupid. I'd go with—"

"Stupid," Filia finished for her. "I get that a lot from Xellos."

"You are fond of my Beastpriest."

Filia didn't answer. She was either unsure or wasn't willing to admit the extent of her feelings for Xellos. She knew their relationship was more than friendship and they weren't enemies even though he would kill her without hesitation if Zelas willed it. "Please don't hurt him."

"You aren't in a position to make demands. Know your place."

Filia steeled her nerves. "I didn't demand, I was asking. Making a request."

Zelas tapped her long fingernails on the table next to her. "What do I get in return if I spare him pain?"

"What do you want?"

"What if I decide I want to punish you instead?"

"Then do it. Better me than him," she found herself saying. If she gave her life for Xellos, perhaps as small part of her could gain redemption for what she'd done. But then Xellos would just live to kill. She was under no disillusion that Xellos was a good being. He wasn't. He was vindictive and evil and she accepted that side of him just as much as the kind side he let peek though the many layers of his personality.

Zelas fell back onto the pile of pillows behind her and sighed. "You are such a boring dragon. And you're in that disgusting state. Um… what's it called? Ah. Love." She lit a cigarette and lifted it to her lips. After taking a long drag and blowing out the smoke, she grinned. "Are you in love with my Beastpriest?"

Filia met Zelas' gaze with her own. "I honestly don't know."


	10. Goodbye to All

As much as he clawed among all his various thoughts, he could not figure out what made him dare to defy his master. He hadn't been thinking of the fact she could kill him with a swipe of her hand, but instead focused on Filia and how she needed to recover a bit more. His words left his mouth as if an invisible force was pushing out the vocalizations before he had time to think of consequences.

He killed hundreds of dragons yet he risked his life for one golden dragon. The word lust kept creeping into his head. Pushed there by denial because in the back of his mind he knew there was more to it. However impossible that seemed. He'd been lustful before and it had never caused such a reaction. Taking on the form of a male meant he had a desire for flesh occasionally; it gave him a deeper understanding of humans. He considered it a weakness they had. Especially men.

But when regarding Filia, something else festered within him. Something that contradicted his existence to the point he wondered if Zelas planned this so she could end him. He shook his head at the silly thought. If Zelas wanted to kill him, she'd just do it. She actually didn't find slow deaths as enjoyable as one would think.

"Xellos, are you okay?"

He turned around and saw her. She was dressed in the small dress that he'd put her in after she'd changed to human form. It was far too flimsy to be warm enough for the weather where she was going. She didn't have anything in her hands except the blue bow he'd given her.

He slung the bag he carried over his shoulder and turned away from her. "I have to take you to where the barrier is punctured so you can go through. You'll be sent straight back to the human realm." He extended his hand behind him, feeling like a coward since he couldn't look at her face. He felt her smaller palm rest on his and then transported to the puncture.

They appeared in front of a waterfall spilling down the side of grey cliffs and hitting rocks at the bottom. A line of boulders jutted up from the deep water, flat at their tops so one could walk toward the falls without getting their feet wet. It was impractical since demons could dry off instantly, but it was natural and there was no need to mess with nature's architecture.

"Here," he said and handed her the bag. She looked puzzled as she took it. "I packed it for you. You'll need some warm clothes and food to start out."

"Thank you," she said. Her voice was steady and unafraid but held something different from the Filia he'd known before all of this happened.

Xellos nodded and his stomach grew heavy as he turned toward the falls. He lifted his hand, his arm feeling like it was made of metal, and dark magic swirled within his palm, cracking and sparking and forming into a spherical form. He launched it at the waterfall. It sparked, tiny bolts of black lightening shapes flew from it, but then the water swirled around it and formed a black portal.

"Go through here," he said.

She walked up to stand beside him. "When I said thank you, it wasn't just for the bag. I mean for everything." She chuckled. "Even if I know you'll probably use this to annoy, blackmail, or call in a favor someday."

He cringed. They'd be no annoying, or blackmailing or calling in favors. This was the last time he'd see her.

He took her hand, guided her along the rocks, and stepped through the portal with her. Originally, he wasn't going to go since he admitted that leaving her alone in the human realm would be tough, but watching her walk away from him would be tougher.

When they arrived in the human realm, she pulled her hand away from his and faced him. "You better hurry and get back before Zelas finds out you came."

"Go find Lina and travel with her for a while. Maybe that will scare those dragons and keep them from coming after you."

She gave him a soft smile and shook her head. "I won't live my life in fear, and I refuse to allow others to protect me. I take care of myself regardless of what could happen. I won't risk anyone else."

Xellos grit his teeth. How could-Didn't she. . . He grabbed her upper arms, making her drop the bag. He tried not to grip her too roughly but couldn't make himself loosen his hold. "Think about yourself for once you idiot!"

Her brows furrowed and he heard her growl. It did nothing to loosen his grip. "Xellos, go home. I'm not worth your-"

He moved one of his hands to the back of her neck and sank his fingers into the hair at the back of her head. "If you ever say that again, I will rip you apart."

He slammed his lips onto hers and pulled her against him. His tongue pressed past her lips into her mouth, tasting her. The first and last taste he'd ever have of her. Of anyone. His other arm gripped her waist and pressed her curves closer to him.

She didn't kiss him back, and he was the one to pull away. If he didn't she'd be on her back with her legs wrapped around his waist and-He didn't want to think further on that even if it made the lust overshadow the other L word.

He grinned at her dumfounded expression and her flushed cheeks and red lips that made him want to kiss her again. Instead, he turned and said, "Take care you stupid dragon."

Then he left her there, still breathless from the kiss.

-/-/-

For the first time, Xellos had to calm his temper before he walked into Beastmaster's room. Actually, it was before he even knocked. He was supposed to be a loyal servant and never have bad thoughts about betraying his master, but that was all that went through his head. He wouldn't act on them of course; he was no match for Zelas in any way.

He knocked and she gave him permission to enter. He approached where she sat, then kneeled in front of her and lowered his head.

"It's done," he said, letting no bitterness into his tone. This was his job. This was his fate. He was created only to serve his master and nothing else, no one else, should've ever gotten in the way of that.

"Very good. You always were a loyal priest. Now, go retire for the day and get that disgusting dragon smell off you."

"Yes, Beastmaster," he said and moved to leave.

"And Xellos," she said. He turned. "You have a little bit of lip-gloss right here?" she said and then pointed to her lipstick-covered lips.

"Yes, Beastmaster," he said again and left.

As soon as he closed the doors behind him, he transported to his room. He closed his eyes and released a sigh. He changed his clothing, the process only taking a few seconds, and then looked around the room. Filia's smell lingered in every part of it, and he knew it would be strongest on the bed he rarely used.

He walked over to it and lay down. As suspected, her scent drifted over him; it did not bring disgust like it should've, but comfort. It sent a strange feeling through him. His body was in no way weakened, yet he felt drained. It was as if something was tensing the muscles in his back and twisting his stomach as if he was hungry, a physical impossibility right there.

"But so is falling in love and you did that."

And there it was. His mental acknowledgement of that stupid word. That stupid emotion that made everything and everyone suffer and weaken.

So why wasn't he writhing in pain right now. Was his body relishing his own pain the way someone would relish physical pleasure?

Zelas would probably know, but she wouldn't answer his questions, and he wouldn't test the levels of her patience. It was likely she knew and banished Filia so suddenly because she was a distraction to him. Maybe she knew that getting rid of Filia would be a way to rid him of his attachment.

He sat up and leaned forward. Filia was like a drug and he wouldn't be surprised if he went into the same withdrawals that he saw humans go through with their chemical and herbal drugs.

He felt a dragon aura pulse in the room, very faint and only noticeable if one was focused on dragons; he was centered on Filia and all things connected to her. He'd forgotten to give the egg to her before he left. If Zelas found out it were there, he'd have to kill it. Luckily, she didn't make it a habit of focusing on dragon auras, so it would be safe for a while if he kept it out of sight. He'd eventually find a way to get it back to Filia even if it meant sneaking it to his blond dragon.

-/-/-

Filia stared at the place where Xellos disappeared, trying to make sense of what just happened to her, and trying to catch her breath because he took most of it with him. After hesitating, she reached up and touched her lips, the skin there still tingling like the rest of her skin. She never imagined that a demon would be the one to have her first, and last, kiss. She knew from his tone that she'd never see him again.

She dropped her hand, bit her lip, and inhaled as much air as she could before releasing it and cringing as a pain flared in her chest. It would do little good for her to stand there, but she didn't know where she could go. The thought of finding Lina held some merit, but as she told Xellos, she did not want to endanger anyone else. That meant she'd have to find a place to live on her own. Away from humans and away from any place where dragons roamed.

She turned east, noting that the sun wasn't high in the sky yet: an indication of early morning in this realm. She looked around for something familiar and spotted a cliff in the distance she knew as being a play area for children. By nightfall, she could make it to her old home, get some of her things -if the dragons left anything-and make a new life.

**-/-/-**

She made it to the forest outside of town just before sunset and decided to stay there until midnight set in and darkness covered the area enough that she had shadows to weave in and out of on the way to her house.

Looking forward to a last look of the place where she'd been happy, she turned the final corner only to find her happiness smashed to bits. Her legs shook as she stumbled over to what was left, her mind begging her limbs not to falter under her mourning.

The wreckage smelled of dragon blood; she'd never known it had a smell until she'd tasted it. She continued to walk, stepping on the glass and wood, and pillows, and porcelain that had once been her home, and then stopped in the middle of it all, feeling lost even though she could see all directions, and knew what was beyond.

She didn't mourn the items destroyed, or the fact that for as long as she lived she'd be hiding in caves and jumping at every noise that sounded like a dragon talking or flying, or roaring. She could deal with that. But Val. Everything came down to losing him. An innocent that died before he lived. Even if the dragons had him, he was as good as dead. They'd smash the egg or some disgusting bastard would try to eat it. It had been hidden so it could even be smashed and spread across . . .

Her knees gave out and slammed onto the rubble. She felt prickles of cuts and the piercing of splinters as they cut through her rough skin: because she was still healing from the inside out and her skin was currently as thin as human skin. Then the tears came raining mercilessly down her cheeks.

Tears could flow freely now that there was no one there to comfort her with false words or telling her to be brave because she was a dragon and dragons never shed tears. She would cry all she wanted. Cry because a son she'd never meet again was dead. Cry because she was alone. She wept for her race that created the chain of events that turned her into a killer. Because she had those motherly instincts and the will to survive, only to find what she was fighting for was dead.

She fell onto her stomach—still wearing the nightgown that Xellos gave her and that she hadn't had the forethought to change out of—half tempted to crawl among the rubble to hide herself, and stay there until she was dead. Her hands gripped the material under her, splinters and glass sinking into her hands and fingernails, creating the same feelings there as what was going through her knees.

Giving up was the easiest option, but she never took an easy way out of anything. Her friends out there would be ashamed of her if she gave up. It was dishonoring Val if she gave up. The dragons might come back and decide to destroy the city here just to spite her before they finished her off.

After destroying everything she loved, all they'd need was her death and they'd accomplish their goals (at least what she knew of their goals). She forced herself upright. As long as she remained alive, those dragons would be miserable, and she'd have the satisfaction of knowing that. She wouldn't let Xellos efforts be in vain and she wouldn't dishonor the few good dragons out there by being a sniffling female who was unable to take care of herself.

She stood and reached up to wipe the tears off her face, not caring that the blood and dirt on her hands smeared across her cheeks. She knew of a cave a few hours from here where she could rest for a while, and then she'd look for a place semi-permanent. Then another. She'd take it as an opportunity to see the world around her.

After she left town, she stepped into the forest instead of taking one of the roads, relying on the moonlight trickling through the canopy of tree branches to help her maneuver her way around rocks and logs.

She bounded upon one of the rocks when she heard three growls, all in unison and saw three sets of glowing eyes twinkling in the dark forest ahead of her. They stalked out, not taking their red sights off her, and merely by their build and the way they moved (more like felines than canines) she knew they weren't common wolves.

"I suppose Zelas sent you to kill me?"

She nearly fell off her rock as two of them sat down and tilted their heads to the right as if questioning her. The biggest wolf trotted up to her like a puppy and grabbed her hand gently in his large mouth before she could move to jerk away. The other two stood and moved into the forest.

"You want me to go somewhere."

One stopped and howled.

"I'll take that as a yes." She was puzzled as to why they would want to guide her. It was bewildering as to why they were even in this realm.

The wolf pulled her from the rock, as if impatient she come. "Okay okay, I'm following."

She had to move quickly until she found herself walking between two of the wolves. "Did Xellos send you?"

The wolves didn't react. It made sense that they wouldn't answer her. Xellos didn't control the wolves so it probably wasn't him. Maybe they just liked her and wanted to help.

Or maybe they want you for dinner.

She doubted that. Xellos mentioned that most demons didn't beat around the bush when it came to killing.

They kept walking until they left the forest. She saw a faint glow of the sun peaking over the mountain and now had to rely less on the wolves' superior night vision. She heard the river in the distance and stopped. The wolves looked at her.

"Are you going to stay with me?"

The wolf seized her hand again and guided her down the road. She knew there was a town in that direction, and as much as she wanted to stay in a proper inn with a bath and food, it was Laputan thinking.

"I can't go there," she said but kept walking until the wolf turned back into the forest on the other side of the road, taking a path made by animals.

She followed willingly, content that she wasn't going to be alone for the near future.


	11. Discovered

Filia was proud it only took a single arrow to cut through the air and embed into her prey. Shortly after the death of the animal, one of the wolves beside her bounced out, retrieved the carcass, and trotted toward her like a proud dog playing fetch.

When she removed it from his mouth, she heard the other two wolves groan. She knelt and petted the retriever. "Oh hush you two. I know you like to hunt but I can't rely on you to do my hunting all the time. You do enough when you go long distances and find me food in the winter. Let me have a bit of self-sufficiency in the other seasons."

All three snorted and she grinned. In the time she'd been with her companions, she'd learned what their actions meant and how to placate or halt them. At first, they'd been annoying, but as seasons passed, they became the closest thing to a family she had left.

"You two need to hunt. I know you haven't eaten in a few days. Now go and hurry so your brother can go have a meal."

The two lumbered to their feet and trudged away. She looked down at her companion. "Let's get back to the cave so I can cook this."

**-/-/-**

When she stopped outside the cave where she was staying, she picked up the coal she found and drew a line through six other lines. She dropped the rock and stared at the wall. She had a tally going, one line each day, and she crossed out every seven days rather than every five. According to her calculations, she'd been there almost one and a half years. For several months after leaving Wolfpack Island, she'd wondered around. When they'd found this place, it seemed right that she'd stay here for an extended period.

She felt the rabbit in her hand move and looked down to see the wolf pushing at it. She took a step further inside but paused when he grabbed her wrist gently. She looked down at him.

"What's wrong with…Oh." It wouldn't do for her to skin the rabbit inside her living area.

She took it outside and sat down after she removed the knife tucked inside her boot. After skinning and gutting the animal and giving the innards to the smaller wolves that found a home with her as well, she went into the cave and built a fire. When the fire warmed the area and she had her rabbit cooking, she pulled back her hood but didn't remove the cloak Xellos had been kind enough to pack for her when they parted.

When she sighed, the wolf rested his head on her lap and looked up at her with his wide eyes. She grinned and scratched behind his ears, eliciting a pleasant growl from him. His eyes shut, forming small arches, and reminding her further of the demon she missed.

She longed for the times when he'd come to visit. She even missed times like when he put snakes in her drain pipes as she was cleaning them, or when he turned the apples on her trees into oranges. That one took a lot of explaining to the neighbors. She'd even made a list of possible explanations she could use after he enchanted a customer's sugar bowl to never run out of sugar. She'd gotten so many people coming after sugar bowls and several angry letters when their bowls ran out of sugar. It took a while to get a confession out of him for that one.

She'd known she wouldn't see him again but hadn't wanted to believe it. After a while, she thought she'd accept it. She hadn't. She still expected him to pop up at any time to scare her or break something.

"I'm useless," she said aloud. The wolf with her cuddled closer and nudged her with his head so she'd continue petting him (She hadn't realized she'd stopped). She smiled down at him. At least she wasn't alone.

**-/-/-**

Zelas' heels clicked on the marble floor and echoed into the room as she stalked around him. She was like a cat studying its prey from all directions. Though, she wouldn't be pleased at being compared to a cat, but a dog was too lumbering. She had more grace. Yes, she was acting like a cat. Xellos decided. And was as temperamental as the disgusting felines as well. Fortunately, Zelas couldn't read his.

"You've been injured four times ever since that dragon left. Has she been on your mind Xellos?"

There it was. The mention of Filia again. Zelas mentioned her every time he showed up after a mission whether he was injured or not. "I've only been injured three times Beastmaster," he said.

"I'll make it four then if you don't remain silent." She snorted. "Now answer. Is it because of the dragon, and don't lie to me."

"It is, but the only reason she's in my mind is because I want to fight to forget her. To get rid of this weakness." Despite telling the truth, he wondered if Zelas would believe him. The entire time, on every mission he undertook, the goal had been to rid himself of his love for her. He was distracted in his missions enough to forget her temporarily, but still distracted enough by his desire to forget that it caused him to drop his guard and get injured. Then, every time he'd come home, he remembered Val was still hidden in his room.

He'd almost destroyed the egg a few times but every time his hands grasped it, or he focused energy toward it, he'd picture her tasty tears and both desired to see them and feel a pain because he caused them.

Damn contradictions.

He snapped out of his thoughts when Zelas hit him on the side of his head and he slammed onto the floor. "You're acting like a fucking Shakespearean actor. Get out of my sight and heal yourself," Zelas said. Xellos immediately did as ordered, choosing to teleport instead of walking out.

The right side of Zelas' lip quirked. _Poor poor pet. So confused. Perhaps I'll get rid of that confusion for you soon._

**-/-/-**

Liam stared out at the darkened sky from the mountain cliff where his group made camp. He flopped down on a rock and released an exhausted sigh. He wanted to go back home instead of wondering around looking for someone that he wasn't sure deserved to be chased in the first place. He didn't want to returned empty handed, but the more he pondered the situation, the more he heard the night whispers of the dragons in his troop, the more he doubted the direction their clan was going in.

The other dragons had also whispered doubts about whether their search should be happening. A part wanted to create a clan they could be proud of and that lived up to what dragons were supposed to be. Another part didn't want to lose his home or cause his fellow dragons any hardship.

"Sir?" Liam turned and saw a fellow solider approaching. He stopped beside a rock and rested his hand on it, leaning toward it as if depending on the bolder to take some of his tiredness away. His eyes were half shut and Liam figured he could fall asleep standing up if he needed to. "I've found her," he said, sounding defeated at the prospect. "We can capture her and go home."

Doubt was evident in the man's tone, but Liam wasn't sure where his loyalties were. "Is that really what we want?" Liam ventured to ask.

"I . . . I didn't tell the others that I found her."

That was good enough for Liam. "I shall go see for myself. I will tell you the path we'll take when I return."

"Sir, if it's her, we have to take her though. We'll never be able to go home if we don't.

"Do you have faith in me?"

"Yes, sir," he said.

"Trust me then. I want to find something out first. Something I can't ask once she's been taken back."

The young dragon bowed. "I'll keep everything silent."

**-/-/-**

Filia was about to doze off when she heard an angry growl coming from the wolf resting on her lap. She leaped to her feet and faced the cave, knowing the growl wasn't directed at her actions but at someone approaching. The other wolves in the cave surrounded her and crouched down, ready to lunge at the intruder. She grabbed the nearest weapon, a spear she fashioned out of a sharp rock and a wooden pole.

She should've moved more or they wouldn't have found her. A dragon came into view. He stopped and held up his hands, keeping them away from the sword at his side. His posture was relaxed and showed no sign he was about to dart toward her in an attack. However, she knew how cunning soldiers were and wouldn't let her guard down for a second.

"Are you Filia Ul Copt?" She remained quiet. She'd answer when she found out why he was taking such a passive way of capturing her. He was lucky she didn't give the word for the wolves to attack. "My name is General Liam Nawor of the Wind Dragon Clan. I'm not going to hurt you."

She scoffed. "Forgive me if I don't believe you."

"I just want to talk. I don't want to fight." He removed his swords, earning harsh growls from the wolves, but then he threw the weapons toward her, the two swords landing at her feet.

"But you want to capture me," she said.

"Not really."

The two words caught her off guard for a second. "You types aren't ones for just talking. You don't know how to listen either. That seems to be a common handicap amongst our kind. Dragons are deaf to anyone that goes against their delusions and inflated egos."

"I won't disagree with you Miss Copt. If you let me speak my case, I will listen to you."

"You're a rare one. Okay, you have five minutes."

He gave a firm nod. "Through this past year I have grown much. I've learned to never form an opinion based on what race a person is, nor believe my own is superior just because they're the same as me." **  
**

"And just what or who pulled your head from your ass?" she said.

"A demon that attacked us. The one that saved you. He spared me. That was the turning point for me."

Filia tried not to let her shock show. If Xellos showed mercy to a dragon, he must've been in an odd state of mind.

"I'd been questioning it from the moment I saw them capture you. When I asked why, they told me things that didn't make sense. Then I was told never to question the elder again or I would be brutally punished." **  
**

"Sounds familiar," she muttered. Liam was a male version of her younger self, except she didn't have the guts to question until she discovered what happened to the ancient dragons. "Sit down, but keep in mind if you try anything toward me these wolves will tear you into pieces."

He walked around the wolves and sat down on a rock across from Filia. He smiled kindly at her and she begrudgingly returned it. "Talk fast."

"You don't have to worry. The army won't come until I tell them to."

"Army?" Her eyes widened.

"Well, it's more of a platoon. No. A squad."

"You know, squad is quite less scary. Don't throw terms around like army unless you actually have an army." She slouched in relief. She relaxed the grip on the spear in her hand and found herself wishing it were a mace instead. **  
**

"Sorry," he said sheepishly. "The elder probably would've sent an army if he wasn't so intent on protecting himself." His brows furrowed. "So, you listened to me. Now what's your story? The elder says one thing but a demon saving you and sparing me, speaks something else entirely. That demon seemed so desperate to get to you but wouldn't answer why."

Filia laughed. Xellos probably didn't even know why he put so much effort into saving her. She was certainly confused about it. "I don't know why he rescued me. I don't even know why the elder wanted me captured other than the fact I have-her stomach lurched and she pushed back tears-had an ancient dragon's egg."

Liam's eyes widened. "But how? They were extinct weren't they?"

"But do you know how?"

"No."

"The golden dragons exterminated them out of fear of their power. We were the cowards. The true demons."

"How do you know all of this?"

"I was there during the fight against Darkstar. The golden dragons were killed during that time. I'm the last one left."

"And the ones at Dragon's Peak?"

Filia had forgotten about them but held no desire to go there even if they were still alive. In fact, she hadn't met any of the ones that lived there. "I don't know," she answered.

"So, we're just as corrupt as demons are."

"That's my conclusion. None of us are perfect. You're elder is a perfect living example. As am I."

"You?"

"Another reason I'm considered a traitor is because of my . . . friendship . . . with Xellos. He's the one who spared you." **  
**

"The demon priest? That's impossible he's—"

"As you said before, your thoughts were challenged because he spared you. No one is what they seem."

"So you admit to being a traitor. Good! Take her." Liam shot to his feet as the elder walked in with a dozen dragons behind him.

Filia glared at Liam. "You betrayed me?"

"No! I thought he was back home. He was supposed to leave this to me." He turned to face the elder. "How did you find out I was here?"

"You should pay attention to the people around you, Liam."

"None of my men left camp." He spoke as if the mere thought offended him. **  
**

The elder shrugged. "You should always watch the shadows." He took a step forward. "I had such faith in you at first. I should've expected that you'd fail your people and be swayed by her lies."

"The only liar here is you," Filia snapped. She placed her hand on the back of one of the wolves that were ready to attack.

"Soldiers, attack them. Kill them both."

"No, listen to me," Liam beseeched the other dragons. "Listen to her."

"It's no use trying to reason with them. I told you that our kind was just as bad as any demons. This proves it."

Liam leaped toward her, grabbed the swords he'd thrown on the ground and threw one to her. "I hope you know how to use it. It'll be handier than the spear."

She drew the sword from the hilt. "I know a bit." When she was younger, she made sure to take a few lessons in swordplay as well as using her mace. It'd been looked down upon but tolerated, and to the relief of her parents and the elders, she wasn't extremely skilled at fighting.

"She's the one with real dragon pride and honor. She has a will to make things better. I stand with her to regain my honor even if it results in my death."  
Filia looked at him, bewildered. Perhaps there really was hope in the dragon race.

Before she could respond, the enemy charged. Her wolf protectors launched into battle, tearing into the dragons.


	12. Layers

"So that thing is here, I thought she'd taken it with her," Zelas said. Xellos looked up to see her at his doorway. She walked to where he kept the egg and looked down at it.

"She didn't know I had it. I forgot to tell her." He started to sit up from his position on the bed, but stopped when she held up her hand.  
She bent down and sniffed it. "Has it been acting strangely?"

"Not that I'm aware of, Beastmaster. It's just a simple egg."

"Unexpected considering it holds a rare race of dragon." She eyed her servant as he rested back on the bed. She'd done some research since he'd returned from his mission. Despite what she liked to think, she wasn't all-knowing and had to figure out exactly what was within the unique egg. What powers of the dragon within could be harnessed if she needed to do so. It wasn't anything she didn't already have.

"Yes, Beastmaster," he said as if she'd asked a question.

She put her hands on her hips like a mother about to scold her child. "Despite your actions being very amusing, I think it's time we remedy them." She walked over to him, grabbed his collar and pulled him so he was sitting up. "There are two options with you in regards to the situation with your dragon. If you haven't guessed already, you're in love with her."

"But how is that possible? Love is a positive emotion. I could lust after her but—"

"Many do not realize that love comes in layers. They only see the good in it. Never the pain. Love can result in the most negative emotions a being can exhibit. It can cause hate, jealousy, betrayal and all those deliciously negative emotions, even when the relationship is faithful. It's always there because of the potential to lose their loved one. There's always an enshrouded negative. I reason that's why you aren't immune to falling in love. Turns out it happened once, to a demon and human. When the human fell ill and died, the demon followed."

"Are you saying that-"

"You'll eventually die no matter what happens," she said. "Either she'll die and you'll be consumed by so much anger or sorrow that you'll be destroyed, or you'll lose control and I'll have to kill you. Then there's the better option."

"And that is?"

"She'll live for thousands upon thousands of years, and then die, and you'll follow." She lifted a hand to her chin and grinned. "This is the most interesting thing that's happened in centuries. I wasn't expecting this millennium's entertainment to come in the form of you Xellos." She walked over to the window. "If those dragons don't kill her, I expect entertainment for years to come?" She grinned when she felt his anger spike.

"What?"

"I sent a few of my wolves to stay with her. She's being attacked as we speak." She felt his aura spike again and admired the way he controlled it while in her presence. "Oh dear demon lord, you can't be helped. I've feared this ever since you met that dragon, but you've proven you can still do your missions while you crave her. I suspect your injuries were due to the cravings as well. They won't happen again once you have her."

"Beastmaster?"

**"** Even if she is a dragon, she's rather appropriate for you I suppose. At least she's not human so you don't have to go easy on her in any aspect. " She held out her hand and a pendant appeared on her palm. She tossed it over her shoulder and Xellos caught it.

"This is one of your bloodstones." **  
**

"Yes it is, Priest Obvious. Now go and save your dragon. When you make her officially yours, however it is you want to do that, give her the pendant."

She turned around when he didn't leave and folded her arms over her bosom. "What are you waiting for? Go and don't ever look at me that way again. I only care about whether you do your missions or not. I don't give a shit what you do in your free time."  
Xellos bowed low. "Thank you Mistress."

"Get the hell out of here before I change my mind."

-/-/-

Filia managed to block most of the blows with her sword as the dragons mercilessly attacked her. Other than a few scars on her arms and a cut on her face, she was unharmed so far. Thankfully, Liam saw fit to blow a hole in the wall and they were able to lead the fight outside of the narrow cave. That made it easier for her to evade the strikes.

If it weren't for the wolves guarding her, she would've been dead already. Liam was fighting three dragons at once, dodging and parrying every stroke of their blades and moving around as if he was born with a sword in his hand. She managed to catch the elder in her vision as she fought. He stood there, a smirk on his face as he watched everyone else do the despicable deeds he ordered them to carry out.

One of the dragons stabbed down at the wolf beside her. She twisted around; her sword hit the dragon's side and he fell to his knees. She was relieved when the dragon moved but couldn't stand up: she didn't want to kill anyone else. Her moment of relief was short-lived when she heard the wolf growl and turned just in time to avoid the swing of a staff in her direction. The wolf grabbed the dragon by the neck and tackled him to the ground. She turned away, knowing the dragon was dead with the first bite.

She rushed toward Liam when she saw a dragon approach him from behind, but was too late. He grabbed Liam and threw him against a boulder. She ran over to him as more dragons ran into the clearing, fighting the ones that were attacking them. She reasoned they were loyal to Liam.

He groaned when she shook him, trying to get him to wake as the fighting around them continued. The wolves stayed around her, protecting her as the two sides fought. This was wrong. Dragons shouldn't be fighting and especially not their own kind. There should be compromises: which the elder hadn't been willing to make.

Her head jerked toward Liam when she felt his pulse weaken. "How could you," she yelled. The clash of swords ceased. Her body grew hot as she got to her feet and directed her gaze toward the elder. "How could you do this to your own people? He was only seeking the truth."

"The only truth is in what I say! He was tainted and useless to me. Generals are supposed to follow orders no matter what. They follow dragon greatness."

"We were never great! We were just like all races," she snapped. "Our hierarchy was just as evil as the humans and demons. Always have been." **  
**

"Get up and kill the traitor!"

She watched as the other dragons struggled to their feet. "What's wrong with all of you? Don't you care that you're half-dead already? Are you willing to die blindly to protect someone willing to sacrifice you? What about your families? "

The dragons hesitated.

"What are you doing? Kill her! I don't care what it takes. Kill her."

"Why isn't he fighting with you? He's treating you like chess pieces. Liam saw that, just as some of your brethren did. Is this what you want? To unquestioningly follow one man that doesn't have your best interests at heart. "

"You can't follow her. She's a traitor," the elder said, panic setting in as the group turned their regard at him.

"I'm not asking them to follow me. Not at all. Just look at yourselves. You're barely able to stand yet he stands there unscratched and commanding you to continue. I'm not saying don't do your duty, but what are you doing your duty for? Is it honorable? "

"Why are you hesitating? Do as I say. Now. I command you. You're supposed to listen to what I say. You are." The elder's voice grew louder and more panicked the longer they wavered in their actions.

Then he ran. "Coward! Come back." She growled as she followed the elder into the forest. It was time he faced the consequences of his actions.

Through the corner of her eye, she saw a dragon flying down at her. Before it got near her, another dragon slammed into the older one. "I'm Liam's friend," he yelled.

She started to run, pushing branches and vines out of her way, splinters digging into her hands as she pulled her way to a clearing. When she cleared the forest, she ran faster, and then leaped into the air. Golden light surrounded her body as she slipped off her dress and turned into her dragon form.

When the light faded, she spread her wings, caught a gust and flew toward the two dragons fighting. She shot through the clouds and saw the dragon that helped her earlier, hit the ground. She had to navigate her way through several dragons fighting each other in the air. Her gaze stayed focused on the ground, looking for where the elder ran. She spotted him at the edge of the cliff. He jumped. His body was encased in a sky blue light, and he emerged into his dragon self: a form nearly as large as hers. He flew into the air, glanced at her and then sailed in the opposite direction. He was leaving his people behind and she hoped the other dragons were watching as he, yet again, cowered away.

She had to be the one to catch him. Not only to prove that she wasn't a traitor, but to help the wind clan realize they weren't perfect and didn't have to be. What they did have to do was work at being the kind beings people thought they were.

She tried to keep above the thin cloud line. If the elder didn't see her coming, he'd slow down. Then she'd strike.

"Well my dear Filia, I thought I could get another kiss for saving you. Turned out you were perfectly capable of saving yourself." He leaned over her head, looked into her eyes and grinned when her eyes crossed. She faltered in flight, but her heart was joyous at hearing that sarcastic, posh voice once again. "Fly lower so I can cast a spell to bring that lizard down." **  
**

"No, I have to do this on my own."

"You'll end up killing yourself."

"Xellos, either shut up, or get off." **  
**

Xellos laughed. "My dear Filia, do you really want me to get off right now? While in the air? I'd have to turn into a dragon to—"  
Her face flushed "You know that's not what I meant!" She pointed her head forward and forced herself to go faster. Only Xellos would think of such a joke at a time like this.

"Giddy up Filia," he said and tugged on her hair. Was he trying to make her angry?

_Dumb question Filia._

"Stop that! I'm not a horse," she said. If she had the time, she'd do a barrel roll and make Xellos fall off her. Instead, she focused on the elder's aura, which he either wasn't intelligent enough to mask, or was in too much of a panic to do so.

When she felt she was above him, she dove from the sky and slammed into him. He crashed into the ground, creating a large impact crater. The temptation to slam her feet into him and kill him was tempting, but she landed at his feet instead.

"Go ahead and kill me if you're going to." His voice shook as he uttered the sentence, and she could tell that he hadn't actually wanted to say that. It was false courage rearing its ugly face.

"Oh, can I do it?" Xellos asked.

Once again, she was tempted to allow the bastard to be killed. "Transform back into your human form. Now."

"If I refuse?"

Filia rolled her eyes. "I'll let Xellos use you as a punching bag."

Xellos peeked around her head and grinned. "Please refuse."

The elder surrounded himself with his aura and his body morphed into his human form, leaving him lying there naked. Why hadn't he thought to actually put on clothing, considering he could've conjured some?

"Is there anyway, you can transform and actually keep your clothing on?" Xellos asked.

"Yes," she said. "You have to get off my back first."

"Ah, yes, I suppose you transforming back without clothing while I'm riding you would be a bad idea."

"Don't you even think about trying to interfere with my conjuring clothing Xellos," she said. He wasn't above doing such an embarrassing thing.

He moved off her and she turned back to human form, fully clothed. He leaned over. "I would've never done such a thing. The only one seeing you naked should be me."

She took a swing at him with her fist but he nimbly avoided it.

"There they are," she heard a voice from above. She looked up to see several dozen-wind dragons coming in for a grabbed her arm and pulled her closer to him, his entire being speaking of protection.

"What if Zelas sees you here she might—"

"She allowed me to come here."Xellos held out a hand to freeze the elder who tried to sneak away. Filia looked in the direction then averted her eyes. "Never seen a naked man before Filia dear?"

She heard his teasing tone and growled. "He's the last thing I want to see naked."

"You, Elder. Conjure up some clothing to wear?"

"I... we don't do that," he said.

The other male dragons landed and transformed back . . . naked.

Filia yelped and shut her eyes. "My god! Go back to dragon form will you?" Or Xellos, couldn't you put clothing on them," she said as her cheeks grew redder.

"Now why would I do that when I get to see you blush like a virgin." Considering she was a virgin, it wasn't unusual for her to react the way she was. He whispered in her ear. "I'm bigger you know."

She was relieved when a familiar voice yelled her name and distracted her from the nude males and Xello's comment. Liam ran up to her, several of the other dragons following him. She was happy he was alive and clothed. Yes, being clothed was extremely important.

She moved a few steps away from Xellos and smiled at him.

"Are you hurt? You're so flushed," Liam said.

"I do believe that is due to all the dragon cocks," Xellos said and pointed behind him with his thumb. She felt his other hand rest on the small of her back.

"Guys! Transform back into your dragon form. Don't you see there's a lady present?" He turned to the dragon's behind him.

"Grab the elder and give him something to cover up with."

Two of the human form dragons grabbed the elder by the arms and one covered him with a cloak. "What are you going to do with me?"

"Why do you want to kill my dragon?" Xellos growled as he stalked toward the Elder.

Filia's eyes widened. His dragon? She didn't know whether to feel insulted at the claim of possession, or hopeful that he cared about her more than as an amusement.

"She's a traitor to all of us. She's a failure and shamed us. And why do you care? I don't understand. You're a demon. You're supposed to kill her. Not help her. "

"My reasons are none of your business. You're the one that shamed your kind, not she." Xellos punched him in the stomach. "Explain!"

"The wench is a dis—" Xellos punched him again, deliberately holding back so he wouldn't die yet. Filia wanted answers; he wanted answers.

He felt a hand on his shoulder. "Xellos, please don't inflict any more pain on him. I can't allow myself to stoop to the same level he'd go without hesitation."

"It wouldn't be you doing it."

"It would by indirect contact if I stood by and allowed you to do it."

"I don't need your compassion you disgraceful bitch," the elder snapped.

Xellos blinked. "Ah! You see? He agrees with me. He doesn't need any compassion." Xellos punched him in the nose.

"Xellos," she said then sighed. He pursed his lips and took a step away from the elder.

"Fine, if that's what you want," Xellos said.

She walked closer to the elder.

"You're going to kill me yourself then?" the elder said.

"You go from a coward, to a coward that stands behind hateful words. Just why do you hate me so much?"

"You... you ruined everything! That's why?"

"Ruined everything? I've never even met you until you captured me."

"Your family was always in the way. Spouting off things you called common sense and trying to keep honor even when fighting things with no honor. You were fools. I should've gone to the Darkstar campaign. Our clan should've been in charge of it. But you golden's were always so cocky."

"So you hate me because I'm a golden? That's—"

"I despise you because you shamed the entire dragon race by teaming with humans and that demon!" He glared at Xellos. "We were always superior. Wind Dragons were always strongest. A young woman like you can't understand what it's like to watch your entire race shrivel up into lesser and lesser numb—"

For the first time, she lost control and punched the elder in the jaw. "I watched my entire clan kill off the ancient dragons. I watched as my own clan died, and I could do nothing to stop it. You know nothing. You're the naive fool for thinking the earth should revolved around you."

"All our sacrifices were because of . . . jealousy?" one of the dragons asked.

"It's my duty to bring back the pride of the dragons, and put our Wind clan above all. We all must be superior and those that aren't must be eliminated.

"You're a fool."

"Take him back to the temple and lock him in the lower level until he's tried properly."

The dragons lead him away. "A trial? Just kill him here," Xellos said.

"It's not the right way," Filia said.

"Who cares?'

"We do," she replied. She didn't expect Xellos to understand. "We'd be as bad as him if we just killed him here."

Xellos crossed his arms over his chest. "You're logic is lacking."

She pushed back a smile. She missed him and his rash, blunt ways.

Then some shouts broke out among the men as the elder managed to use his powers to jerk away from his two captors. He turned and a beam shot out of his mouth, hitting Filia through her chest. Near her heart.


	13. The End of Filia

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> **Disclaimer: I wrote this fanfiction adaptation with permission from Rinoaebastel/Rinoax. I am not in any way plagiarizing. We claim no ownership of Slayers and are just fans but we do own the ideas in this.**

Xellos had never wondered, nor ever wanted to know, what panic felt like. Even when he had holes ripped in his body, been decapitated, and any other injuries that would kill any other creature, he'd never been stricken by the emotion. But he felt the stab as the power shot through Filia and horror as she fell back into his arms, her eyes rolling in the back of her head as her body weakened.

He wanted to shoot some of his energy into her but with her being a white magic user; it would only corrupt her and do more damage than help. He grit his teeth as his chest tightened and his arms struggled to hold up her weight. This was what Zelas was talking about. If she died, he did.

He pulled her closer to him and kneeled. "Don't die on me you stupid dragon."

Xellos' head shot up when the elder erupted into laughter, his eyes focused on the fallen dragon with abject glee. "She's gone! Dead!"

The other dragons tackled him to the ground. "Why didn't you have better hold of him," Xellos yelled, trying to control his anger. He shook as he told himself not to massacre the entire lot. Filia would be upset when she woke up.

And she was going to wake up. She would be fine. She would wake up.

But not to a world with the elder still in it.

"Liam, come here," Xellos said as his eyes opened and glared death toward the oldest dragon in the group. He didn't take his eyes off him even when Liam knelt at his side. "Can you repair some of her injuries?" He knew healing her completely was out of the question.

"I will try but the injuries are—"

Xellos stood and stalked over to the elder. "Let him up," he said in a voice that the dragons knew meant there was no room for arguing. If they protested, they'd be killed without any thought or regret.

The elder scrambled to his knees, his eyes wide. "You… you can't just give me to him. What about justice? You can't leave me at his mercy. You can't. No."

Xellos laughed. "You mistake me." His foot slammed into the elder's stomach hard enough to make him double over but not to kill him. Xellos kneeled grabbed a handful of hair and yanked the elder's head up so he was staring into his eyes. "I have no mercy for scum fucking lizards like you." He slammed his head into the dust and stabbed his staff through the dragon's shoulder.

"Please, stop!"

"I haven't even begun to do what you did to Filia, yet you beg already. You coward," Xellos said.

The elder found the strength to look up and in the direction of the other dragons. They were all helping Liam heal Filia and ignoring the pleas from their former leader. "Please don't kill me. . ."

Xellos kicked him in the side hard enough to flip him onto his back, and then slammed his foot down onto elders' genitals. "Oh, I won't kill you. Death is far too good kind."

He teleported to a dungeon on Wolfpack Island and dropped the elder amongst the bile, vomit, and rotting corpses in the dirtest cell he could find.

"Xellos," Zelas said after appearing beside him. "What do you have here?"

"A gift Beastmaster," he said, motioning to the half-conscious elder.

"A live one, how lovely. Perhaps my allowing you to find your dragon has given you some—"

Xellos grabbed his chest and staggered forward. If not for his staff he would've fallen. She placed a hand on his shoulder and he felt power rush through him, giving him extra strength. "Get to your dragon and bring her here."

He nodded and disappeared, unsure if he could make it back or not. Thankfully, he teleported right beside the group of dragons, but his landing was weak and he staggered forward, hitting one of them. The dragon was kind enough to make sure he didn't fall on his face.

Filia was quiet, but her wound looked to be healing. He saw Liam leaning against a rock with his hand placed on his forehead. His breathing labored, but he looked to be all right as well. He looked up at Xellos and gave a slim smile. "I think she'll be okay, but she'll need time to recover more on her own."

Xellos kneeled beside her since he knew he wouldn't be able to lift her given his weakened condition. From now on, he'd make sure his dragon was safe. He refused to feel like this ever again. He grabbed her hand. "I'll take her where she can do that without being bothered."

"Please tell her to keep in touch with us. We'd like her to have a say in our clan development when she gets better," Liam said. He pushed himself away from the rock, keeling as he came closer. A fellow dragon steadied him.  
Xellos didn't respond. If he had his way, Filia would stay on Wolfpack Island for the rest of her long life, safe and out of trouble. He closed his eyes and focused on his room back at the island before transporting both of them to that location.

He managed to get her on his bed before collapsing next to her and falling into unconsciousness.

-/-/-

It was three days, a week in human realm time, before he woke up, but it took another week for her to awaken. When she did, Xellos was at her bedside. He sat in the air. His legs were crossed as if there was a chair under his butt, and had a scroll in his hands. His eyes remained focused on the scroll even though he knew she was awake.

"I'm at Wolfpack Island again?"

He brought the scroll down from his face and nodded. "About time you wake up. Such a lazy dragon."

He pushed down a smile when she huffed and muttered something about an idiot demon. She moved to sit up, cringing as a muscle in her back popped. "What happened to the elder?"

"Don't worry yourself about that bastard."

"Did you kill him?"

"No, I didn't. I'll just say he's being dealt with. It's best you not ask how." If she did inquire about the torture he was undergoing, he wouldn't lie to her. He knew her kind heart would want to him released to a more humane punishment, but the elder belonged to Zelas now and he couldn't free the bastard even if he wanted to.

"So it's really all over? I don't have to run anymore. I can go home."

"That's right. You have to take the egg somewhere after all."

"Val?"

"He's in the wardrobe resting on some pillows."

Tears pooled in her eyes and then fell down her cheeks. Xellos felt sick at seeing them, but good at the same time. The sad memories that came with them gave him energy, but the happiness with them made him slightly nauseous. These conflicting emotions would take some getting used to. "I haven't lost him. I haven't failed him. I won't be alone when I go back."

"Um… about that. . ."

She shot a quizzical look in his direction. "What do you mean about that? Am I a prisoner here? I can't go back?"

"It's not that."

Xellos lowered from his "sitting" position in the air and his feet hit the floor. He walked over to her. "I was given the chance to ask you something."

"Okay. Go ahead." When she met his gaze unflinchingly, he desired her even more.

"I want you to belong to me."

Her mouth opened and closed several times as if trying to form words. Suddenly, she grabbed a pillow and threw it at his head. He dodged it.

"That's not asking!"

He shrugged. "Perhaps it's not in the form of a question, but you can still infer my request."

"You're impossible. One would think you'd be a little more graceful asking something like that." She swung her legs over the side of his large bed and he tried not to eye her bare skin. She looked down at her lap.

"Is that a no?"

"I didn't say that."

"Then a simple yes or no answer would suffice."

She looked up at him and for the first time he couldn't read her expression. "Do you want me to?"

Her voice was soft, like that of a scared child sneaking into their parents' room because the bogeyman (a close friend of Xellos') was in their closet.

"I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

"Do you love me?"

Xellos sighed. "Filia, you can't. . . I wouldn't have saved you if I didn't."

"But how."

"I can't ever love you the way you perceive love because that's not in my nature, but I can love you and protect you."

"I see," she said. "So the evil facets of love are what you thrive from. Things like the jealousy, worry, and lust. That's how you can love me without getting sick."

Xellos took a step toward her, amazement coursing through his body. How did she figure it out so easily when he'd struggled on and on about it? As if she could read his mind, she answered, "Dragons don't exactly look at love the way humans do either. Granted it's probably a bit fluffier and idealistic than demons, but not that much different either. We accept all sides of it, including the pain."

"So, you accept me?"

"Are you mine too?" she asked.

"As much as I can be," he said. He knew she was aware that Zelas would always be top priority for him, and wasn't confident she could accept being second best.

"Alright."

He kept the excitement he felt from bursting forth. "Then I guess we should find you some clothing to wear around here."

"Huh?" She looked down and saw her breasts were bare. "Xellos! You idiotic, perverted—"

"I wasn't looking at your breasts." When she clutched the covers against her chest, he leaned forward. His hand rested on her knee and slid up her thigh. "I'm more of a leg demon."

His hand met her center as his lips pressed against hers.

-/-/-

She hid her flushed face against his chest as she thought about the actions that took place just minutes ago. She was told that sexual actions were evil unless for procreation purposes, and she could understand why they would say that, but it didn't mean it wasn't a deliciously wonderful experience.

She'd wondered if Xellos bothered with that particular part of the male form since he didn't seem quite as perverted as most males, nor had he shown interest in any of the females, or gay men, that had come his wrinkled her nose. Though she didn't have much (anything) to compare sex to, what he did felt great so she couldn't help but wonder if he had experience before that. He was a demon so surely he experienced lust and all "evils" that went with it.

"What are you frowning for?"

"I'm not."

She felt a chuckle but didn't hear it. "You're jealous of something. I can taste it." He shifted onto his side so she had to move away from his chest. She avoided looking at his face as he reached up and touched her cheek. "What are you angry about?"

"You're annoying me. Stop it," she jerked her face away from his hands and turned away from him. He shifted closer and bit her ear, making her jump.

"Tell me Filia."

She sighed. "Have you slept with anyone else before?"

"Yes."

She turned around. "Who?"

"Why does that matter?"

She sat up. "I suppose it doesn't. I was expecting you to say yes anyway."

He figured she was expecting the cliché romantic words about how she was important, and all that nonsense, but he wasn't going to speak them even though it was the truth. Instead, he sat up beside her and brought a pendant out of thin air. "Don't worry about the past. It means nothing to me." He twisted the pendant between his fingers. "This is for you."

"Is this the demon equivalent of a wedding ring?"

"We don't have anything like that. Zelas gave me this. It will allow you to come here and wander around all you'd like. The wolves and other demons won't hurt you as long as you wear that."

"Isn't there another way?" she asked as she eyed the pendant. It was heavy and so clunky it would be impossible to hide it under her clothing without looking like she was deformed.

"Yes, but you'd have to have sex with me constantly for an entire day. Human hours."

She didn't know if he was making that up, but she wasn't going to agree and take the chance that he wasn't lying. Sex for a day would immobilize her. "Give me the necklace," she said.

"You're not choosing the sex?"

"No woman can endure a day of nonstop sex. Dragon or not." She put the necklace over her head, letting the stone rest between her bare breasts. She shivered when he leaned down and kissed the stone.

"Guess I'll have to work harder so you can. We'll have to work up to it, hour by hour."

"So you really are a pervert."

"You expected me not to be?" He grabbed her wrist, slammed her against the mattress, and pinned her to the bed, his eyes glinting with the kind of evil that made her stomach twitch in recently familiar anticipation.

Filia withheld a smile as Xellos kissed her. She could live with that.


	14. Ending B - Hundred Years Later

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I wrote two short chapters and was originally going to put them as separate chapters but both seemed to workas fitting endings so I decided to do alternate endings and use one on each site where this story is posted. This is Ending B. To see ending A, I put a link at the bottom Author's Notes

**One hundred years later . . .**

Zelas sipped from a large glass of wine while Filia had her cup of tea. Several times throughout the past hundred years, Zelas tried to get her to give up her teetotaling ways in favor of something stronger, but always failed. Filia was particularly fond of the tea on Wolfpack Island, and especially the cup she had in her hands. No matter how much she drank from it, it never emptied.  At first, she’d been surprised at the gift from the Beastmaster but as the years wore on, she learned that the demon had many facets. She still didn’t trust Zelas of course, and the woman didn’t expect her to, but she liked her.  
“So where is the other mischievous grandchild of mine?” she asked. Filia was still amazed that Zelas had taken to calling her children, including Val, grandchildren.  There were times she pondered whether even the great Beastmaster got lonely for company.  She knew by experience that evil and good were never black and white; there were shades of grey everywhere.  
“Val is training with the dragons at the wind temple. He practically begged for training there. I thought he’d be a pacifist like the other ancient dragons but sadly that’s not the case.”  
“You expected that when he’s raised by my Beastpriest?”  She placed a hand on top of the head of the little half dragon half-demon child sitting on her lap. He was eating a large wolf shaped cookie, the crumbs spilling onto Zelas’ red dress.  
“I suppose I shouldn’t have.”  Xellos had been a better father than she’d expected, even if he did teach their children to play pranks. But knowing their father for as long as she had, she knew when to expect them, and her children knew just how much she’d tolerate before they got a spanking and sent to bed to sleep.  
     And they knew daddy wouldn’t stop mommy because daddy liked negative emotions.  
     “Speaking of my husband, where’d he get off to?”  
“Oh, he’s off annoying Lina Inverses’ great granddaughter and her friends. They almost bankrupted him when he had to buy them lunch because of some lost bet.”    
            Filia laughed. Her exaggeration was amusing considering Xellos could conjure money at will.  She’d had to scold him for it since he’d buy their kids whatever they wanted, spoiling them.  
            “Want daddy!” the little blond hair dragon said. His dragon tail wagged back and forth as he took another cookie from the plate on the table.  
            “He’ll be here soon and then you can do what your granny Zelas told you to. You remember what she told you don’t you?”  
            “Yep!”  
Filia laughed. Anytime Zelas put her son up to something, it usually resulted in plenty of fodder for her when she had her next argument with Xellos.  Oddly, though she’d yet to figure out why, Zelas’ little schemes always resulted in embarrassment for Xellos rather than her.      
“But that was nothing compared to the trouble caused by the little girl perched on top of Zelas’s head. As if on cue, Beastmaster looked up at her and grinned. ****  
“Just what are you doing up there?” she said to the baby sitting between her wolf ears.  
       Her daughter’s blond hair flopped over her wide violet eyes; the pigtails Filia worked so hard on were gone, and her little purple dragon wings flapped as her teething mouth gnawed on Zelas’ ear.  
“Hey, brat, stop chewing on that.”  
            “Yes, Ayren, stop. You might get rabies.”  
            Zelas grinned and then shot a look of fake menacing at Filia. “I’ve been nice all these years. Are you trying to throw yourself into a fire now?”  
            Filia just shrugged, sipped her tea, and watched as Zelas reached up and handed Ayren a cookie to chew on.    
     She’d been thrown into the fire and didn’t desire a return to that trouble. Now, she was nestled warmly between two fires, demons and dragons, and hoped it would stay that way forever.  

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you want to see ending A, you can find it here: http://www.fanfiction.net/s/7989686/14/Between-Two-Fires


End file.
